Apocryphal Variance
by Trick N. Zwei
Summary: Upon the deaths of the seven Servants of the 5th Holy Grail War, the Heroic Spirits expected to disappear. What they did not expect was for them to be summoned once more to fight in the Holy Grail War, this time, as Ruler's own faction in the war against other Servants. The Great Holy Grail War commences with three factions rather than two!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

 **Hey, everybody. Well, I started on another story. I'm kind of experimenting a little with this, so it might be written in a different way than my other stories. Maybe it will help with progression, but I won't be able to check and work on it until after my final exams are done.**

 **Anyway, I also want to say that I probably didn't do as much research as I should have in regards to Fate accuracy and such, but then again, it's not like the fandom can wholeheartedly agree on much of it too. I still see a lot of people continuing to debate if Archer is OP or not and things like that. But whatever. I don't claim to be an expert either in all matters Nasuverse. I'll continue on and just amend the story if needed.**

 **Also, in this version of Apocrypha, Sieg never woke up from his stasis. So proceed with that knowledge in mind.**

* * *

The Great Holy Grail War.

It was a conflict that surpassed the scale of that of those before it. Instead of having seven Servants and seven Masters fighting one another for a chance of fulfilling their wishes, there was a change in the system that governed this war. One power controlled all seven Servants.

This was not acceptable.

Therefore an equal set of Servants were alloted, forming a separate faction to oppose this. However, further interference present was detected by the system of the Grail. It was due to this that it had no choice but to bring forth Ruler, not to preside over the war, but act in the best interest of protecting the concept of the Holy Grail War. It will grant the wish of those that stand at the end.

And it will have its war.

"Which of you is the Ruler-class Servant?"

Lancer of Red. The hero-god Karna, son of the sun god Surya. He sat upon a road sign, gazing down at those below him in the middle of the road.

"Why are there two Servants before me?" he asked.

Ruler came forward with her head held up high, and answered, "I am Jeanne D'Arc, the assigned Ruler-class Servant to this Holy Grail War. I come with news to bear to both factions of Red and Black Servants."

"What?" Gordes Musik Yggdmillenia arrived with Saber of Black. He looked confused as he stared at Ruler and the Servant beside her. "What is going on here?"

"Listen well!" said Ruler. "I have been summoned here not as an arbitrator, but as a Master that shall participate in this Holy Grail War! For this, I shall not have providence of some of the skills and abilities of my class. However, I too shall be in command of seven Servants of my own. From here on out, we will be of the Blue Faction. A Servant has already been summoned upon my own arrival."

They gazed at the Servant that stood beside her.

"Six more shall follow after this," she continued. "And with this large change to the system of the Grail, I will announce another important change. The Holy Grail will no longer grant one wish!"

Those there and those who were watching from afar were stunned by this revelation. After all, they all entered this war for a chance to make their wish come true. Masters and Servants alike each had their own wish seeking to be granted by the Grail. Each and every one would fight till the end for it.

"Then what the hell are we fighting for?!" bellowed Gordes. He grinded his teeth in frustration.

"There are now three," answered Ruler. She held up the corresponding number of fingers on her hand. "Three wishes. The Holy Grail will now grant three wishes to the winner of this war. No more, no less."

There was shocked silence after Ruler had said it. This was far beyond what any of them had expected.

"Though I am now a participant of this war, I hope to see that all factions shall fight in a manner proper with this Holy Grail War."

Lancer of Red suddenly jumped down from his perch and attacked Ruler. His spear was blocked, though. Immediately, he brought up his weapon to shield himself from the counterattack. The immense strength behind the attack surprised him and pushed him back following an immense gust of pressure. He narrowed his eyes at the Servant that stopped him.

"If you wish to fight here, then I shall be your opponent."

Though not tall, she stood proudly, standing between him and Ruler. A similar blond girl but with short hair, a more slender physique, and green eyes. Her shining armor was clad over her blue dress.

Lancer of Red could immediately discern that she was not an opponent that he could take lightly. He couldn't see what weapon she wielded in her hands, but he knew it was there. An invisible weapon that had stopped his lance.

"It would be an interesting fight…" Lancer pointed his weapon away, giving no indication he wanted to continue. "However, it appears that I am now being ordered to stand down. It seems they do not like my chances against going up against multiple Servants." He glanced at Saber of Black and his Master, who were both observing them intensely. "Though I wouldn't really mind. I have more confidence in my abilities than they do."

"And you?" she asked towards the Black faction.

Gordes scoffed. "I have no intention of fighting in a three-way battle. Come, Saber. We're leaving."

Both he and his Servant left by a car waiting by the roadside, Saber of Black glancing back at each of the Servants before leaving.

"We'll see each other again," Lancer said to Ruler and the Servant beside her before leaving in the opposite direction of the Black faction.

As soon as both Red and Black factions were gone from view, Ruler sighed. She looked quite tired after the ordeal.

"As expected," she said, her shoulders sagging slightly. "Things aren't going to be so straightforward in this war. The Red faction wanted me gone before I can summon the other Servants. If Saber of Black hadn't been here, they probably would have tried harder. Still, I'm sure the Black faction would have probably done the same if not for the same reason."

"Don't worry, Jeanne," said her Servant, giving her a small smile. "I will do everything I can to protect you."

Ruler returned her smile.

"Thank you, Saber."

* * *

"Oh? That was truly unexpected."

Lancer of Black, Vlad the Third, was sitting on his chair and grinned with dark amusement after they saw Ruler's declaration of her faction's participation in the war. To his side, Darnic Prestone Yggdmillenia remained silent, though his grip was clenched tightly on his staff. The rest of Black faction were positioned in front of them, clearly thinking over the absurd announcement that had just been made.

"Three wishes…?"

Caules Forvedge Yggdmillennia couldn't help but mumble out loud what had been on everyone's thoughts. If the Grail could grant more than one wish, then that would mean that the future of Yggdmillenia could be secured easily. With a single wish, a path to the Root could be obtained. But then what about the remaining two?

Of course, each soul there had their own personal wishes that they held. The fact that this change in the rules occurred, it could mean that there chances of having them granted would be possible.

"Don't let your dreams of victory blind you," said Lancer of Black. "You're focusing too much on only one part of Ruler's speech. The fact that the prize is now much greater is also followed by an increase in the difficulty of the task set against us."

They then remembered that they were no longer fighting just one faction to obtain the Holy Grail. Ruler would now join the war with seven of her own Servants. A Servant commanding other Servants in the war. It was not an easy concept for them to think of.

"Isn't that breaking the rules?" complained Caules.

"I doubt anyone else here would know the rules better than Ruler herself," answered Chiron, the Archer of Black. He remained firmly in place behind his Master's wheelchair. "While it should be a great violation of the greatest laws of Heroic Spirits, she did mention that some her abilities and skills of her class are not open to her. It could mean that there are other restrictions placed on her that would allow this or some other special circumstances to her summoning for the change in the system to proceed."

"Too bad we don't know what they are, though." Rider of Black sighed. "Having a Servant for a Master does seem a little too unfair."

"Perhaps we should have risked it and had Gordes' Saber taken her out before she could summon the rest of her Servants," said his Master, Celenike Icecolle Yggdmillenia.

"No," said the Elder of the Yggdmillenia clan firmly. "We can't disregard that, although she has spoken of being weaker, Ruler herself remains a Servant. Alongside that fact, Lancer of Red was present as well. He could have very well taken a chance to finish our Saber off. We cannot risk losing our soldiers so early on in this war. Not when the number of our enemies have increased."

"And that woman," said Lancer of Black. His eyes observed the frozen image of Ruler and her Servant floating above them. "Her posture reminds me that of my own. One of royal lineage, I would presume? She is strong. Strong enough that even facing our own Saber one on one would not be a guaranteed win for us."

Darnic nodded in agreement. "The question now is: How do we proceed, and how will those dogs from the Mage Association react to this?"

* * *

"Just what farce is this?!"

Semiramis, the Assassin of Red, looked livid as she watched Ruler's proclamation from their base. Meanwhile Caster of Red had a most joyous expression on his face at seeing the spectacle that had unfolded, no doubt his imagination running wild at such a story. Shirou Kotomine remained expressionless, though his eyes held a hint to his inner workings of his mind.

"A new chapter! A surprise development has sprung up that could very well turn this great story into a most magnificent one! Oh, how wonderful this war truly is for such inspiration to spring forth so boldly! A generous outbreak of amazement that will surely create an exposure of bloodstained savagery among the dauntless champions who care not to pander to the equivocal nature of this war!"

"What? This is not one of your plays!" Semiramis chided Shakespeare in annoyance. "This will hinders our plans of obtaining the Great Grail. With seven more Servants coming into this war, there is no telling what will happen!"

"Isn't that great!"

Semiramis looked disgusted at the great writer's ecstatic expression. The Queen of Assyria had a hard time dealing with him, and now his joyous mood just made it even more unbearable for her. She failed to notice how quiet her Master had been.

Shirou Kotomine was giving Ruler's speech with deep thought. He wondered if it truly was willed by the Grail to alter the course of events. He couldn't help but think if this might be a sign given to him by God that did not approve of his plans.

"Master?"

Semiramis came up to him, looking concerned. He smiled at her to reassure her, though he still masked his troubled thoughts.

"It seems we will need to adapt accordingly," he said, standing up straight. "For now, I think it's best if we have Berserker's Master stop his rampage with a Command Spell. It will only delay the inevitable, but perhaps we can use him at a more opportune time later on."

It was a wise choice. Picking a fight with the Black faction now would only weaken their respective sides, leaving Ruler's faction virtually unharmed and poised to attack whichever faction they chose. There was also the problem that they also virtually knew nothing about Ruler's Servants aside from her own identity that she had announced herself.

"Jeanne D'Arc, huh?" he said.

"Quite similar to yourself in many ways, wouldn't you say? Piety and all."

Semiramis did not seem pleased by Shakespeare's comment. Still, Shirou did not reproach him. There was truth in what he said.

"There's also that Servant with her." He gazed at the image of said Servant on their scrying screen. "Seems she's quite capable if she could block Karna's attack so easily. She must be quite a famous hero in her own right. It would seem the number of trials I have been given grows ever more. Though that still won't stop me from walking down this path I have chosen."

There was much that he needed to account for now that the war has changed. The other Servants under their faction will need to be informed as well. He then remembered the necromancer that had visited earlier before. It was likely that he and his Servant would not know of what had happened. Only now did he felt somewhat a little more regretful that he could not bring them to his side. Having his Saber around would prove immensely useful with their new situation.

"I wonder which of them is stronger?" he mused to himself.

* * *

"Master? It looks like you're getting a message from that suspicious priest."

Mordred glanced down from one of the stone sarcophagus she was lazily using as a bed at the scribbling message that was being written.

"Ah, could you check it for me?" Her Master, Kairi Sisigou, was cleaning the barrel of his shotgun from one corner of the underground tomb that they had unceremoniously turned into their base of operations. It was one of the only places that they could safely use from inside enemy territory.

"Go check it yourself," answered Mordred, too busy eating some of the snacks that he procured for her to bother getting up. "You're closer anyway."

The necromancer could only grumble, putting away his tools. He wondered if his Servant was truly rebellious in nature or just lazy. Ripping out the message that written out by the simple magic device given to him by the Mage's Association, he proceeded to read the contents of the letter. As his eyes slowly went down the message, his brow increasingly became more pronounced—so much so that Mordred noticed this and turned to see him frowning at it.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she nibbled on a scone. "Something important happen while we were down here?"

"Yeah," he nodded and scratched his head in frustration. "You could say something really big just happened. Seriously, this war is already troublesome enough as it is. This is just making things more complicated. If I'd known this would happen I would have charged more from the association back in London."

Looking a little excited, Mordred finally sat upright from where she lay.

"Really? Sounds fun." She smiled brightly in opposition to her Master's miserable face. "So what is it?"

Kairi could only sigh at her exuberance at such a thing.

"Looks like the Grail system didn't like how things were going and basically threw in a wrench to try and fix it," he answered. "It summoned Ruler to join in the fight. She won't be acting the part, though. For some reason, the Grail saw fit to have her participate in the war by making her command her own faction of seven Servants. That means we'll probably have more opposition to fight. Really, like there wasn't enough of you guys already out here?"

"Hoho…" Mordred gave a bloodthirsty grin. She cracked her knuckles in anticipation. "Now this is beginning to sound like a Great Holy Grail War. With seven more Servants in the mix, it won't be hard to find a fight. I wonder how many of them are really strong?"

"We don't even know much about the Servants of Black," said her Master, who was already considering if it was truly worth it. Still, he also read about the part of getting three wishes instead of one. It really would be truly worth it. "Only Ruler revealed her identity. We won't know much about Ruler's other Servants until she's summoned them, which she'll probably do today after that greeting our Lancer gave her."

He checked the bottom of the message.

"It seems she does have already one Servant with her," he said as he continued to read. "Must be pretty strong if she could stop our Lancer. Hard to believe based on her description—huh? Wait. This kind of sounds a lot like you."

Mordred suddenly rushed over and snatched the message out of her Master's hands, actually knocking him over as she did. Her eyes glared at the message as she read it over carefully, almost ripping it apart with the way she held on to it.

After appearing to have read it twice, she crumpled the paper, then slammed it and the entirety of her arm through the stone walls of the tomb, spreading clouds of dust and debris all over their base.

"H-Hey?!" Her Master coughed as he tried not to inhale any of it. "What did you do that for?!"

He paused after seeing the complex look on his Servant. She was gritting her teeth and her whole body was completely tense. Seeing what she had done to the wall so easily, he wisely chose to remain silent. After a minute, he heard her say one word:

"Father…"

* * *

In the outskirts of Trifas, an old abandoned mansion lay decrepit in the night. Vegetation was slowly reclaiming it as the decades had passed since last someone had been there. Though mostly intact, moss and vines had almost entirely taken over the outer walls of the building. However, in its lush and wide gardens, Ruler and Saber walked its ground, casually observing the area.

Almost no one was left that could remember that place's existence. It was fortunate for them that an old merchant had told them of the land when they were asking for directions from him. His father used to maintain its gardens long ago and had spoken to him of it. Now, it would serve as their temporary home until the Great Holy Grail War was over.

"I hope this summoning goes well," said Jeanne.

"Indeed," agreed Saber. She looked to be uneasy thinking about the other Servants. "Being summoned into this Grail War soon after mine ended… I can't help but wonder why that is so."

"I can't be sure either. There are a number of things strange with this Grail War. I only learned of my participation after I had been able to take form. I was surprised when the Grail system had forcibly commenced with summoning you right after."

Jeane couldn't help but giggle at the memory.

"It sort of does make me feel better that I'm not alone after coming here," she said.

"I would be glad to offer a hero such as yourself my aid, Jeanne," said Saber with a small smile. "As a hero and a saint, I have no need to worry over your character in pursuit of the Grail. It is actually reassuring to have someone like yourself as my Master."

"Was your previous Master not worthy of you?" asked Ruler. "It is terrible that Masters have the ability to choose their Servants, but Servants cannot do the same. Since the Command Seals normally only appear on mages, it is not difficult to understand that their personality might not always match that of the Heroic Spirits that they summon."

"Oh, no. Not at all." Saber denied it. She seemed mildly embarrassed, turning her gaze away. "In fact, I can't help but think that it was I that was not worthy of being his Servant."

Jeanne noticed that the mighty Saber-class Servant actually looked quite vulnerable right now as she spoke highly of her previous Master. It was the first time since they met that she thought the Servant matched how she looked without her armor on.

"Don't tell me you fell in love with him?" joked Ruler.

After walking a few steps, she stopped as she noticed that her companion had ceased behind her. She panicked a little bit, as she thought that she might have insulted the King of Knights for saying such a thing. However, when she observed her carefully, she saw that Saber's face was flushed completely red.

"No way!" shouted Ruler, slack-jawed at the scandalous thought. "You actually fell in love with your Master in your previous Grail War?"

Saber couldn't help but quietly wither under the intense and disbelieving stare that Ruler leveled at her.

"P-Please pay it no mind," she stuttered. "It no longer has anything to do with our battle here. I am here, and he is not."

"Then could that be your reason for pursuing the Grail?"

Saber's face then seemed troubled.

"It… was not the reason I wanted to obtain the Grail," she said slowly. "My original reason for pursuing the Grail was…"

"It's fine," said Jeanne, shaking her head as she held her hand out to grasp Saber on her shoulder. "You don't need to tell me if it isn't easy for you. Perhaps when you're ready you will share it with me."

Saber nodded gratefully to her for understanding.

"And maybe you could tell me about that Master of yours, too," Ruler smirked and gave her a small nudge.

After taking a moment to collect herself, Saber said, "It is about time now. We should likely prepare ourselves for their arrival. It may be… problematic if they arrive with the same situation as I."

Ruler agreed with that statement. Somehow, she understood that the Grail had chosen to put her in command of seven Servants that had lost their lives from an alternate reality of a different Grail War. One where the Grail had still been conducted in Fuyuki City and had never been stolen. Saber's own story corroborated it, as she herself had been a casualty after she and her Master had destroyed the corrupted Grail of their version of the Holy Grail War. She at least could breathe a sigh of relief that the Great Grail in their current war was untainted. She wished she knew how events had turned to produce such an outcome different from theirs.

After waiting for several minutes, Jeanne felt the surge of mana pushed onto her. The Grail was starting the process of giving her possession of the Command Seals used to control the coming Servants.

She closed her eyes and clasped her hands in prayer. She could feel the pain of having the seals ingrained onto her back, just as it had with Saber's. It was painful, but she had gotten through much worse. Soon, the prickling pain on her back started to subside. Though her eyes remained closed, she knew that six magic circles appeared before her, pulling the spirits of the Servants that will fight for her. Once bright lights had dimmed, she opened her eyes and saw them.

There was a look of confusion among their faces, save for Berserker's, whose own seemed to be permanently stoic in chiseled stone.

And then—

"Archer!"

—chaos ensued.

The Servant wearing a hooded bluish-purple robe had immediately attacked another dressed in black and red. Since she had shouted just before she attacked, Ruler understood that the other must have been Archer. Being a Servant and of the Ruler-class, Jeanne was able to discern their classes. She, however, was not able to see their names just as she would have had if she had been summoned normally in this war. It was just one of the few restrictions that the Grail had put on her.

"You damn traitor!" hissed Caster as she fired her spells at him.

"Traitor?" Archer deflected the purple beams of magic with the twin swords he projected, putting some distance between himself and Caster. "I don't remember doing anything to you. Last I remember, Saber was the one that dealt you the finishing blow."

The other Servants did nothing to stop them and merely observed or ignored them from the sidelines.

Caster summoned multiple spell circles above her, charging up for another attack. "You think you can lie and pretend that you did nothing wrong? Because of you I had to leave my Master! It's your fault that I died!"

Strong magical energy channeled into her spells. It was apparent that she was dead serious about killing him. Archer clicked his tongue in annoyance as he prepared to face the oncoming barrage.

"Cease this at once!" Jeane commanded. Though she did not use a Command Seal, all the Servants present recognized her as their Master. They could feel the compulsion to obey her order coursing through them.

Grudgingly, Caster dissipated her magic, though she continued to throw a spiteful gaze at Archer, who merely shrugged and let go of his blades that vanished into thin air.

"So it would appear that your conjecture was correct," Saber said beside Jeanne. She furrowed her brows as her eyes wandered over the familiar Servants standing before them. "They are also Servants of the Fifth Holy Grail War of Fuyuki City. It also seems that they carry the memories of before their moment of passing."

Jeane gave a deep sigh.

It will take some time for her to sort everything out. Possibly even longer to clear up the discourse between Caster and Archer. Fortunately, the saint had plenty of patience and experience with mediating talks.

* * *

When a Servant is summoned, it is given the necessary information about the world and the war in which they will participate in. They receive general knowledge of the current age and society so that they have a grasp on how most things work, even though they are summoned to a vastly different age and culture from where or when they are used to. Correspondingly, all memories of there time in the world during the war is wiped clean once it is over. They are merely copies after all. This is why summoning the same Heroic Spirit at another time will have no recollection of the war they once fought before.

It was part of the system that's been in place since the first Holy Grail War.

Ruler knew this better than most. Even having a better understanding of it than the family of mages that created it in the first place. Yet she had trouble coming to terms with the fact that all seven Servants under her command have all their previous memories of their Grail War intact.

After taking the time to listen to each and everyone's version of events up to the point that led to their deaths, Ruler was able to determine that not all seven Servants came from the same reality. As far as she could tell, they all came from one of three possible routes of their version the Grail War. This was easy enough to verify. Saber and Rider both had overlapping stories, with Rider confirming her death at the hands of the King of Knights. Lancer told his death at the hands of a different Assassin from the one present, and Archer verified the existence of it, making them part of the same route. Caster, Assassin, and Berserker came from another.

"How can you even be sure about Berserker?" asked Lancer, sitting cross-legged on the grass. "All he does is grunts, snarls, or roars—not exactly a master storyteller, is he?"

"As his Master and a Servant of the Ruler-class, I am able to infer on his thoughts and feelings," said Ruler. She gently put her hand on the hard and muscled arm of the ferocious Servant. "His regret and sadness echoes even now from his failure to protect his Master. He really cared deeply for her. It must have been hard for you?"

Whether Berserker agreed or not, there was no hint of emotion on his face at all. He simply stood perfectly still, like a stone statue of a very angry god ready to erupt into violence at any given moment.

"Whatever you say." Lancer didn't seemed convinced at all. "So, care to tell us what this is all about? Can't say I'm not glad to have another chance at having to fight. With losing the way I did, I'd like to make up for it, you know?"

Ruler nodded. "With your arrival here, the war can now proceed in full. Due to a deviation in this Grail War, two factions of seven Servants and Masters were formed. However, the Great Grail, sensing that something seemed amiss, summoned me and called for me to enter the war as a participant, giving me control of seven Servants of my own to create an opposing faction to the existing two."

"Strange." Lancer rubbed his chin in thought. "Just what could it have sensed that would allow a Servant to lead other Servants? That's a pretty strict taboo. Isn't that right, Caster?"

Caster glowered at the smirking blue-clad Servant. He was likely referring to her having broken the same rule before, what with her summoning Assassin as her own Servant during their war.

"I cannot say for sure," said Ruler, looking slightly dismayed. "It must have judged that there is an anomaly in this war that cannot be ignored so easily. Adding more Servants into the war might have been its intent on balancing and fixing it. Perhaps we will know more later on. However, I should point out that it is not that a Servant can't lead another Servant. Only that the dead cannot lead the living."

"Really." Archer snorted a laugh, leaning on what was left of a collapsing outer wall of the garden. "Has there ever been a Grail War that was normal? The fact that a wish granting device is in existence is an anomaly itself. There isn't anything normal about it at all. Not even our own that we were in."

"That is so," agreed Saber.

Ruler remembered what the King of Knights said her final moments were. She and her Master had destroyed the Grail due to the corruption that had taken hold inside of it. It was unsure how long the corruption had been there, but Saber had said that it had been likely already corrupted during the Fourth Grail War of Fuyuki City as well.

"And since none of us here are truly alive, I suppose that the Grail will allow this?" Assassin, who remained standing and wore an amused smile ever since he appeared earlier, didn't seem particularly bothered by it. "To even allow an improper Servant like I to participate once again, I am starting to doubt the very purpose of it. Not that I can complain. At the very least, I am free to walk wherever I wish with this chance now that I am an actual Servant with a true Master." He gave Ruler a wink. "Of course about as free as my beautiful Master wishes for me to be."

Ruler blushed. She coughed once and changed the subject.

"W-Well, we should probably confirm our purpose in this war," she said. "But first, I'd like to know each and everyone of your names first. It would also help us understand each other better since we are all on the same side."

"Aren't you Ruler, though?" said Lancer. "Don't you already recognize us just by looking at us?"

"Unfortunately, that is one of my abilities that have been restricted by the Grail," she sighed. "It would be unfair to the Servants of the other factions if I could discern their identities so simply. Hence why I am unable to know which Heroic Spirits are now in front of me."

"If that's all then I don't really mind. Be amazed since the one that stands before you is Ch—"

"That would be problem for me." Archer interrupted Lancer.

"Huh?" Lancer stood up and glared at the passive bowman. "Does your identity really matter all that much, Archer? To even go against your Master's order so soon before we've even begun this war…"

"I-It wasn't really an order," said Ruler in a panic.

Lancer materialized his red spear and pointed it at him.

"You know, you're the only here who I'm truly interested in knowing which Heroic Spirit you are. I have to say again that I've never met a bowman that fights with two swords. Why is that? Is it just me, or is it the same for everyone here?"

As a Servant, in addition to the general knowledge the Grail had imbued into them, they can all recollect the names of other famous heroes that have joined the Throne of Heroes, irregardless of what time period they had come from. It is the reason why the identity of Servants are usually guarded so secretively, since enemy Servants could use their weaknesses that come from their legends.

All the other Servants looked at one another, sharing no signs of having an idea of which Heroic Spirit Archer could be. They stared at him with curious eyes, except Berserker, who remained still as a statue, his eyes hard and pointed forward.

"It is true…" Saber agreed, frowning. "It had always bothered me that I couldn't identify which Heroic Spirit you are, Archer. I would never consider you an inferior Heroic Spirit. Even when you had ultimately fallen in the end, I was told that you had managed to kill Berserker six times in your battle against him."

Everyone there looked surprised by this. Even Berserker himself, who had not shown much a reaction to anything, turned his head to stare at Archer. No one there had expected that an Archer-class Servant like him could be able to do much against someone like Berserker. Ruler, being a Master, still had the ability to discern the parameters of Servants. Given his stats, she didn't think he was capable of even putting much of a fight against Berserker.

Archer didn't seem pleased to have people know that and answered, "Six times, huh? Must have been a hard and overwhelming fight. I would congratulate myself on a job well done, however, I have no recollection of it."

"Your attitude really pisses me off," said Lancer, whose mood looked to be growing darker by the second. "Just who the hell are you, Archer?"

"Do you really not want to trust us, Archer?" Ruler walked up to him, watching him with her deep amethyst-colored eyes filled with purity and concern.

For a while, the cynical Servant scowled and tried to endure it, but he couldn't seem to stand it in the end and broke away from the sight. She, however, continued to stare at him.

He gave a defeated sigh and said, "I can't very well tell you who I am if I don't even know myself now, can I?"

"Eh?"

Archer scratched his head in annoyance.

"You can blame my previous Master for that," he answered. "She made a serious mistake with the summoning and somehow botched the ritual. It was fortunate enough that I was still able to make full use of the skills I have, so you won't need to concern yourselves with my ability in battle. That's the reason why I can't tell you who I am."

"Hmph." Caster glared down at him from the wall she sat upon. "How convenient for you, isn't it? Though I suppose I should have expected as much coming from that Master of yours. She didn't strike me as a particularly competent mage."

"Is that so?" Ruler thought it couldn't be helped if that was the case. She felt it was too bad that she couldn't know his name. There was something to him as Lancer had said that nudged at the end of the curiosity of her thoughts. "Then I suppose we should continue on then?"

"Alright then." Lancer tapped the butt of his spear to the ground. "As I was saying, I am Ch—"

"Wait." Caster interrupted as she floated down from the wall. "Why must we give our identities out to Archer when he can't do the same? Even if he can't recall who he is, that isn't a reason for us trust him with our own. After all, he's already changed his loyalties twice before. Can we really trust someone that would break his words so easily?"

"She has a point," agreed Assassin. His playful look turned serious. "He once tried to kill Saber's Master before me after our battle, even though their Masters were allied with one another other during the time. Had I not intervened, he most likely would have gotten away with it."

"What?!" Saber shouted. She gritted her teeth and stared angrily at Archer. "Why would you do such a thing?!"

"Again, I have no recollection of doing so," sighed Archer. "At this point, all your grievances against me are misplaced, seeing as I am not the same Servant everyone here knows, save for Lancer. Honestly, even I'm starting to get annoyed by my actions in your version of events. It doesn't really matter now, does it? We have a whole new war here to fight."

"That still doesn't change the fact that it had been a version of you that had done so!" said Caster.

Tension had built up once again. It was heavy enough among the Servants that Ruler thought if she did nothing, all the other Servants might try and pick a fight with Archer. She wondered why the Grail gave her such a problematic Servant to deal with. However, she could not let things be as they are. She had to take the Holy Grail War above her own concerns.

"Archer, I think it's best if you go scout out our surroundings," she said. "Rider, please go with him."

Archer shrugged, but moved to do as he was told.

"Also, I already know everyone's identity here anyway," he said as he slowly walked away. "Artoria Pendragon, Cú Chulainn, Heracles, Medusa, Sasaki Kojirou, and Medea. With that, you guys should have no problems sharing your names now, will you?"

They could all see him smirk as he dematerialized, Rider following after him.

"Tch! That bastard!"

Caster vanished away as well, leaving only the remaining five Servants in the garden.

"Dammit!" Lancer stomped the ground. "I couldn't even introduce myself at all! What the hell?!"

* * *

Archer and Rider jumped from tree to tree among the vast forested area that surrounded their base. Occasionally, they would stop and observe their surroundings, watching for any signs of the enemy or danger. They continued on this exact procedure every time they moved, keeping up without a break in their pace, with Archer in the lead. Both of them took their orders seriously.

"Something you want to say?"

Rider looked up at Archer, who didn't offer her so much as a glance.

She was surprised. It was the first time any of them had spoken since they'd left the others. They had maintained a solemn but cooperative silence since then.

"…What do you mean?" she said.

"So, you don't?"

Rider was about to reply that she didn't, however, she realized that she would likely have few opportunities to ask him later on.

"How was… my Master in your Holy Grail War?" she asked hesitantly after a minute of pause.

She noticed Archer look back at her, before turning his attention ahead of them again.

"I take it you mean Sakura, and not that idiot of a Master you had before?" he said. "They were in a rather precarious situation when I left, but I wouldn't worry too much. She has good people with her that will see her through the end. They won't let anything bad happen to her."

"Will she really be fine?" Rider understood that the Sakura she knew and the one that Archer knew were different, but she still worried over her nonetheless.

They stopped at the branch of a tall tree, allowing them to view their surroundings from miles away.

"You'll do everything you can to protect her, right?" asked Archer, to which Rider nodded seriously. "Then she'll be fine. After all, she still has you there with her."

He jumped away, leaving Rider alone where she stood.

Rider really didn't know what was going on in his mind. She didn't doubt what the other Servants said that he had done. He was a mysterious Servant that can't be trusted. But in a way, she thought they shared some similarities to one another.

And that he was surprisingly kind.

"A real fool…" she whispered, a faint smile showing on her lips.

* * *

With their scouting completed, Archer and Rider returned to the mansion. When they arrived, though, they had quickly became tense at seeing Lancer and Assassin waiting outside. Both Servants suspected that something must have occurred while they were gone, given the serious looks on the two.

"What happened?" Archer asked immediately as they approached. He tried to sense the presence of enemies nearby, but he could only recognize the presence of their comrades.

"Ruler collapsed just now," answered Lancer. "We're not sure why. Saber is with her, checking her for injuries or signs of an attack. We couldn't see how that could have happened, though. Still checked the surroundings just to be sure."

"And the others?"

"Caster is setting up this place as her territory," said Assassin. "Our mountainous Berserker hasn't moved an inch from his spot in the gardens since you two left. It seems he won't respond to anyone other than Ruler."

Archer nodded. He opened the door leading inside.

The mansion was fully furnished. Everything was covered in dust and in partial states of decay, but whoever had lived there before did not seem to have bothered taking most of their belongings with them when they left. It wasn't quite as big as the Einzbern's castle in Fuyuki, but it was still roughly half its size. The halls and floors inside were made of marble, with the ceiling textured of realistic vines and leaves.

Archer and Rider found Saber beside Ruler in the foyer. It seemed that Saber had managed to dust off one of the old couches before placing Ruler on it to rest. He could see Ruler was just starting to wake up as he got close. She looked pale and weak in her condition.

"Are you alright?" Saber asked her, helping her up as she held out her hand.

"Were you attacked?" said Archer, giving her a quick once over to check for any signs.

"I'm… fine," answered Ruler. "I'm not sure why I fainted."

Suddenly a low rumble sounded, turning into a very long growl that emanated from her stomach. Her cheeks turned red as she quickly understood what must have happened to her. Ever since she had been summoned and taken possession of Laeticia's body, she hadn't eaten anything at all. She'd forgotten that due to that, she required to take in sustenance as normal humans do.

Archer, who was wide-eyed at the sound, chuckled, which then turned into full laughter. Meanwhile, Rider covered her mouth and turned away from their view. It was obvious that the usually expressionless Servant was trying not to show how amusing she'd found the situation to be.

"D-Don't laugh!" Ruler said as her face turned into an even brighter shade of red. "I-I didn't expect that this would happen to me… It has been a long time since I last walked the earth after all!"

"I should probably head to town and get us some supplies?" Archer said as he tried to stop himself from smirking too much at Ruler's upset gaze. "I can probably make something with the kitchen here that could solve your problem. It shouldn't take too long. I'll try to make a good portion that will satisfy you."

There was another rumbling sound. This, however, came from the girl beside Ruler. The King of Knights looked to be pretending that it didn't came from her, avoiding everyone's gaze. The only give away was the slight tinge of red on her cheeks.

"…Maybe I should prepare some more for the rest of us too, I guess?"

"If you would," Saber nodded regally. "I understand that we require no need for nourishment due to Ruler maintaining our magical energy through the Holy Grail, but that does not mean that we cannot enjoy them. It would also make Ruler feel more comfortable if all of us would eat alongside her."

"Right…" Archer could only shake his head at her stubborn denial. He'd almost forgotten how gluttonous she could be.

* * *

"The air here is good."

Assassin took in a deep breath whilst he had his hands hidden away in the pockets of his dark purple jacket. He had never before been outside of Japan, so he was taking in the scenery with a refreshing smile. The sun was high and the sky bright and clear. He had only just taken material form after Archer had purchased a set of clothes for themselves to better blend in with the townsfolk. They were currently in a small hub town located between Trifas and Sighisoara. It was the closest town to their base that they would have the least likely chance of being discovered.

It didn't mean there weren't any surveillance in such a small place, though. Fortunately, it was easy enough for Archer to spot them from afar, with Assassin able to sense any others that were hidden away from plain sight. They even managed to procure some much needed funds from the Ygdimillenia mage stationed there without him noticing.

"We're not here to sightsee," said Archer, who was paying for a bag of fruits from the stall owner. He wore a simple pair of black pants and a light-gray shirt. "We should be wary. This is still enemy territory we're in."

"Isn't it fine?" Lancer wrapped an arm around his shoulder and looked positively beaming. "This place seem pretty safe, ain't it? You're too uptight, Archer. Relax a little, won't you?"

"Give me a break…" sighed Archer. He eyed the Hound of Culann with annoyance. "Aren't you a little too relaxed, Lancer? And where did you even get that shirt?"

The rather cheery Servant wore an ugly, colorful and eye-catching Hawaiian polo shirt. Thankfully, he wore simple black pants like Archer so that he wouldn't stand out more than he already did. If he'd worn shorts and sandals, he'd look like a guy lazily enjoying his vacation.

"What's wrong with it?" asked Lancer, checking his loudly colored shirt. "I saw some people walking around with the same designs. Besides, you said to blend in, right? I think it looks pretty good on me. It was even on sale, too."

Assassin smiled with amusement at Archer's aggravated expression. He didn't think the two would get along so well after what happened before. It was likely that it was due to Lancer being the type to put problems out of his mind when not needed. It was an admirable quality, one that balances out his poor tastes in clothing.

The three of them were gathering supplies to bring back to the mansion. Archer had requested their help in this endeavor after he had explained to them Ruler's situation. Lancer had been rather bored standing around doing nothing, so he'd agreed easily. Assassin had also joined since he wanted to help their pure maiden of a Master and finally stretch his legs for once.

There were a few tourists here and there on the streets with them, however, the townspeople were the majority. There were stalls of goods and products, with people hawking there wares to passing customers. There were also plenty of cows, ducks, and other farm animals in penned portions of the homes. It looked to be like any peaceful and normal town out in the countryside.

"Hey, we should get some beer while we're here?" said Lancer.

"No." Archer shot him down instantly. "We don't know how long this war is going to last, so we have to stick with a budget in mind. That mage had a lot of this country's currency at his home, but that doesn't mean we can just spend it without care. We can only purchase the basic necessities."

"C'mon! Don't be so stingy! Didn't you buy some tea leaves from down the street? How is that a basic necessity?!"

"Oh, but it is," said Assassin, holding onto the paper bag of tea leaves. "Tea is needed to calm the mind and open one's soul. It is a basic right that should not be neglected."

"Lies!" pointed Lancer. "You're just saying that cause you enjoy it too! Don't think I missed you picking out your own set that you liked from there!"

It was true. Assassin did pick out a few leaves with Archer, amiably chatting whilst discussing the aroma and possible taste of each. He greatly preferred it to alcohol.

"Give it up, Lancer. You're about the only Servant with us that likes to drink beer anyway. It's possible that Berserker enjoys it too, but he's not really going to answer if he does, is he? Everyone else would rather prefer a warm cup of tea."

Archer dumped the bag of groceries onto him.

"This is unfair, you know that!" Lancer protested. "You guys can't just single me out because of that! I have needs to, you know?!"

"Majority rules, Lancer." Archer started heading towards another stand. "You can take it up with Ruler once we get back. For now, be a good dog and help carry our stuff. We still have a few more items to get."

Lancer growled. "I really, really hate your guts, you damn cheapskate!"

As they followed after Archer, Assassin caught sight of a group of townsfolk murmuring with each other in front of a newsstand. Everyone else in town looked carefree and content with their day to day lives, but the people by the newsstand seemed to be worried about something. And so, Assassin walked over to check what seemed to be bothering them.

He immediately saw why.

Taking a few coins from his pocket, he paid the vendor for a copy of the newspaper.

"Well, it seems we'll be making a move earlier than anticipated," he said after reading it.

He had no doubt that Ruler would want to act on it as soon as possible once he delivered the news.

* * *

"Hey…" Lancer stood, mouth agape in front of the mansion. "Are we still in the right place? Did we make a wrong turn somewhere?"

He and the others were stunned in place when they arrived to find that the mansion that had been basically falling apart from before was now in pristine condition. There was no trace of moss, vines, or rotting wood anywhere on its surface. In fact, the place looked practically new. The windows were clear and shining. The grasses were trimmed and the weeds gone. They could even see the jungled garden from where they were summoned was restored to its former beauty. A working fountain had been unearthed from all the dense foliage near it, with a large stone statue standing by the hedges…

"Oh, wait, that's Berserker," said Lancer after noticing that the statue looked far too dark and angry, seemingly out of place in the sparkling serene garden. "The hell happened while we were gone?"

"I made sure to spruce up the place, of course."

Caster materialized and hovered just above them. She seemed to be in a better mood now. It was probably because she liked being above others all the time that she tended to float around like that, looking down on everyone else.

"I've been quite busy, unlike you three useless idiots," she sneered. "I'd hate to stay at someplace that is on the verge on collapsing. Perhaps muscle-headed men such as yourselves are able to live in such conditions, but I won't have our Master and the other girls tolerate poor and inadequate housing."

"Territory Creation, huh?" Archer mumbled. It was one of the specialized skills that Caster had, allowing her to modify the terrain of a location to her advantage.

"Correct," she answered. "Now, if you're all done gawking, I suggest you hurry up and greet our Master inside."

Caster quickly vanished, disappearing into tiny glowing moths to the sky.

"Still the tyrant even when she no longer commands me," chuckled Assassin.

"Honestly…" sighed Lancer. "That woman could stand to lose the attitude a little bit. Talk about being such a pain."

Once they entered the mansion, they saw that everything had been fixed up as well. The broken fixtures and furniture had all been magically repaired. The faded walls were now immaculate and fresh, with a woody smell of pine suffusing all over the place. The indoor lamps had illuminated the inside, even though there shouldn't have been any running electricity.

"You can tell them to meet at the dining room in an hour," said Archer before he parted for the kitchen, bringing with him the groceries they bought. "I'll have dinner ready by then."

"Sure you don't need any help?"

"I'll call you if I need to stick a pig to roast."

"Better make something edible at least," retorted Lancer. "Don't wanna kill our own Master if you can't even make a half-decent meal."

Having said that, Lancer and Assassin went to see Ruler.

She was looking at the large paintings that hung all over the walls of the west wing of the mansion. There were pictures of men, women and children, but there were plenty of landscapes as well. Ruler was standing before a wide painting of a woman holding a cross to her chest, with a yellow painted halo over her head and fires rushing high from behind her.

"Always complicated to see the world's depiction of you after you've gone, huh?" said Lancer, his demeanor neutral. He didn't much care for it. "Kind of stupid, really."

"It doesn't bother me," answered Ruler, shaking her head. "It is our legends that leave us in the hearts and minds of the people long past our lives. If it can inspire others to act the same, I pray the world shall remember me with firm belief in my faith in God. It does not matter if they do so through my death."

Lancer told her about Archer making dinner for them soon. Since he didn't really feel like talking anymore about religion and the complexities of faith, he left her and Assassin to go check on Saber. He could tell that she wasn't inside the mansion. Ruler had mentioned that the King of Knights went to the small lake beside the gardens.

Lancer had walked outside and passed through the garden, where Berserker remained in the same spot he'd seen him last. He greeted the monstrous Servant cheerfully, but all he received was a piercing glance down at him that seemed to be trying to drill through his very existence. When he had asked him if he liked alcohol, the intimidating Servant just snarled in answer, making him dart pass him instead of waiting for a coherent answer. He had to wonder if it was due to Mad Enhancement that he always looked so hostile or if he had really been just that kind of person.

Saber, he found, stood at the edge of the lake, staring far off into the distance, seemingly contemplating.

"Hey, dinner's up soon," he said to her as he approached.

"Is that so? Then we should return and take part," she said.

However, Saber's gaze remained locked onto him, her eyebrows furrowing as she seemed to be examining him closely.

Thinking that it was probably what he was wearing that caused her stare intensely at him, he said, "What? Is it really that bad?"

Saber tilted her head in question. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Lancer…" she seemed hard-pressed to answer, but then straightened herself with determination. "What was it that you wish for?"

He raised an eyebrow, surprised she was asking him that.

"You must have one, don't you?" she said. "A strong wish that allowed for you to be chosen in this war. I know you to be an honorable and worthy hero, who'd even challenged the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh himself. Though you knew it would mean your end, you fought for our sakes. What reason would a hero like you wish for the Grail?"

Lancer sighed and sat down to his knees, staring at the placid lake. He found a round rock by his side. Picking it up, he threw across the water with a casual flick of his hand, the stone skipping multiple times until it almost reached the end of the lake.

"You're making me out to be better than I really am," he said wistfully. "I'm glad the me in your war had the balls to stand up to that prick. I wasn't really able to do anything worth mentioning in mine before I croaked. As for my wish? I just wanted a good fight. Simple. A heart-pounding fight that would last until I can't stand on my legs or hold my spear in my hands up anymore."

"A warrior's wish through and through, correct?"

"That's right." He nodded. "And I wanted it badly enough that I compromised myself, following around a rotten Master like his dog on a leash. Not exactly the perfect picture of a hero now, am I?"

Lancer had skulked around in the war like some ordinary underling for that priest. He still remembered the bitter taste it left in his mouth after he'd stabbed that red-haired brat in his heart. Just because the kid saw something that he shouldn't have, he had to die because of that. He'd like to say that there was nothing he could do about it since it had been his Master's orders, but he knew himself better that.

"And does your wish remain unchanged?" continued Saber, her green eyes appearing to be still insistent.

"Yeah," he answered with a content smile on his face. "I'm absolutely glad to be here. There's no chance of us getting through this war without a big battle coming out of it. I don't care who it is, but I'm going to fight them with everything I've got this time around. A valiant battle to the death worthy of being a hero."

"So… what happens if a Servant no longer wishes for the Grail?"

"What?" Lancer turned to her. Getting back up on his feet, he said, "Why the hell would a Servant even be here, then? Saber… it can't be you—?!"

"I… no longer need it," Saber nodded and replied, turning once again to stare at the lake. "Well, it is more that I no longer have any use for it. I realized that the wish that had dragged me into the war in the first place was a mistake. A foolish wish of a foolish king. That is why I had no regrets at all when I destroyed the Holy Grail."

Lancer was silent. It was true that the circumstance surrounding their summoning to this Grail War was outside the norm, but aside from Ruler, all Servants summoned in the war were taken by their desire to have their wishes granted. A second chance for many who may have had regrets before their untimely demise.

And many of them did have regrets.

"Come, we should not keep the others waiting."

Saber finished the conversation before he could say anything, walking pass him. He couldn't really say anything to stop her. If she had no wish, then for what reason would she fight in this war?

"What the hell is up with this whole thing?" he grumbled. "Can't it ever be damn simple?"

* * *

Ruler had read the article from the newspaper that Assassin had brought. A serial killer that the media had taken to referring to as "Jack the Ripper" was on the front page. Multiple victims had been showing up dead at Bucharest, all showing the the gruesome signs of the same killer at work.

Their hearts were ripped out from their bodies.

While she can't be completely sure of it, there was a high chance that a Servant was responsible for it. If a Master of a Servant lacked or could not provide the required magical energy for a Servant's upkeep, it was possible for the Servant to convert the energy from consuming people. And it is in the heart of humans where the greatest energy they could take.

"I have to stop this."

Before Ruler could take two steps, she stumbled, almost falling to the floor had Assassin not caught her in his arms just in time. She felt the pangs of hunger coming from her middle. It took some effort for her to stand on her own again with how weak her legs had gotten.

"Perhaps after you've had a filling meal first," suggested Assassin. "You can barely walk out in your current condition. It is unlikely that you will be able to do anything else before then."

"But I can't just sit back and eat knowing that a Servant might be hurting people unrelated to the war!" Ruler protested.

"It is not my place to tell how a Master should behave, however, have you not commanded armies of men into battle before, Ruler? You know better than I what happens when one side rushes to meet another while ill-prepared and in poor condition."

He was right. Ruler had seen more than her fair share of the intricacies of war. Many commanders have led their men to their deaths due to ignoring the health and wellbeing of those under them. All of it had always contributed to the failures of their missions. Given her current state, it would be unwise for her to go out and stop that Servant. In fact, it would actually be the perfect time for the other factions to strike at them when she showed weakness.

If she were to be killed, then the Servants that followed her would likely disappear and lose their second chance to reach the Holy Grail. It didn't matter that she had no wish for it herself. It would be selfish of her to take her role as their Master half-heartedly just because of that. It was also wrong of her to ignore her body's needs since she was only borrowing it from Laeticia in the first place.

"I understand…" she said gloomily.

"Please don't be discouraged." Assassin offered her a smile, as he held her hand in his. "It pains me to see that my words cast a shadow upon your lovely image. I feel as if I've caused the petals to wilt from an alluring flower such as yourself."

"W-What?" Ruler could feel herself blush. She wasn't at all used to being complimented like that. In her life, the people had respected her a great deal, being called a woman of God. It was also the reason why that there hadn't really been any men in her short life that had tried to flirt with her, even though she'd received praises for her beauty on the battlefield before.

"W-We should eat soon!" she sputtered as she quickly took her hand back, walking away from him and displaying more energy than she had before. "We can discuss the matter of dealing with Bucharest later!"

She hurriedly went to the dining area, leaving a rather pleased Assassin behind her.

* * *

Everyone expected dinner to be a simple affair, basically a time for all the Servants to gather whilst having something to nimble on as they talk about their plans in the war and other important matters. The only one that really needed eat was Ruler in the first place. So it wasn't necessarily wrong that they had assumed the meals to be plain.

When they arrived to sit down at long and ornate wooden dining table, what waited for them was a gorgeous feast. Golden-brown roasted ducks, creamy mashed potatoes, tenderly grilled juicy steaks, and many more were neatly arranged along the table. There was even a beautifully arranged salad that looked like a blossoming flower.

"What are you guys standing around for?" Archer dropped another dish to the table. "The food will start to get cold."

Everyone picket out their seats at the table. It was obvious that Ruler would be made to seat at the head of the table, with Assassin and Saber taking the corner seats beside her. Caster and rider where on Saber's side of the table, while Lancer and Archer were on Assassin's side.

Ruler held her hands in prayer, thanking him for the food provided in front of them. The other Servants either followed her lead, remained silent, or shifted uneasily in their seats as they waited for her to finish. Afterwards, much the their surprise, Ruler began filling her plate to the brim and started eating immediately. Saber was quick to do the same, with Lancer grinning as he reached out for a duck leg himself. Everyone else approached dinner more moderately, selecting whatever they fancied and savoring the taste.

"So, Lancer, do you think it's edible enough for you?" Archer looked smugly at the Servant, who tried to frown at him with a mouthful of meat.

After gulping down the meat, Lancer said, "I-It's okay… Dammit! Okay! It's really good!"

Caster's reaction to her meal was a little more complexed. After taking a bite, there was a look of pure bliss on her face, which was then quickly followed by a look of shame, disgust, then anger. It was probably hard for her to admit that she liked it.

Rider remained mute and expressionless, however, her utensils would whip out like a snake once her plate dwindled, making it look like it still held the same amount of food as before.

Saber was steadfastly demolishing everything, noble in her demeanor, but plowing through the food like a truck. Meanwhile in front of her, Assassin seemed to be taking it easy, chewing onto his sandwich slowly with each bite.

As for Berserker, he was still in his place in the gardens. He did not seem interested when they asked if he would like to join them. And it seemed impossible for him to join them at the table, given how large the Servant was. Still, Archer had dropped off a few meals for him, leaving it at the foot of the Servant like some sort of offering to a deity.

Once there was not a single crumb left on the table, everyone started to settle down, waiting on Ruler to begin the conversation.

"Well, then." Ruler wiped her lips carefully with a napkin. After finally filling her belly, her the strength in her eyes returned. "I would like to formally begin our plans for winning the Great Holy Grail War… Is what I want to say," she sighed. "However, there is a serious matter that I first have to address."

She pulled out the newspaper from earlier and slid out to the table for everyone to see.

"A Servant, is it?" said Lancer.

"How despicable," said Saber with revulsion.

"Then, what do you plan on doing with this?" asked Lancer, leaning on his hand on the table.

"I will investigate it, of course," answered Ruler. "Though I am now a participant in this war, I still cannot overlook those that would blatantly compromise the rules of the war. Involving the lives of outsiders is unacceptable. If I find that a Servant is responsible for it, then I will pass on judgment onto him and eliminate him as a threat."

There was a pause in the room, with each Servant seemingly mulling what she had said, a few masking themselves with a look of indifference.

"It's something I'd expect coming from a Ruler-class Servant," said Lancer. "However, it's not something I would expect coming from our Master."

None of the other Servants disagreed with him. Even Caster held back her usual scathing remarks about him and remained silent.

"But I can't just ignore this!" Ruler slammed her palms on the table.

"I know, I know," sighed Lancer. "I guess this is the problem when you don't have a mage as a Master. Not that I'd change it. But you still have to remember to act in a way that won't jeopardize our goal here."

"Yes," Caster nodded. "As surprising as it is to hear something so sensible from the mutt, I have to agree with him. Ruler can't be allowed to go."

Ruler sat back down, looking forlorn.

"Well, as our Master in this war, it would be a different matter if she were to send us as her Servants to investigate it as a way to gather information on a potential enemy," said Assassin, causing Ruler to perk back up. He winked at her from the corner of his eyes. "After all, it won't do for us to simply remain here, waiting for our enemies to come to us."

"So it is as you say," nodded Saber. "We cannot hope to defeat our enemies from the safety of our castle. The question is then who shall be sent to investigate?"

It wasn't a question that not all of them will go. Ensuring Ruler's safety against their enemies is their priority, so most of them will have to remain and guard her, fortifying their position as best they can.

"I've decided," spoke Ruler in a decisive tone. "The ones going will be…"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:**

 **I changed the original color of the team from white to blue to better represent the factions. I'm not really digging it with the way it rolls off the tongue, and I did consider this before already, but I guess the faction colors really have to be represented by the Sabers. Changed this from the first chapter.**

 **So people have been touching up on a few things that I already planned on working on into the story, and mentioned a few things that I also missed. That was helpful. Also, a few thoughts are already clashing on who wins against who and whatnot. So probably expect that things might not turn out as some people think it will just cause it's not like everyone will agree on one thing anyway. Heck, people can't even agree to the original game's plot. But I will try to avoid things like "EMIYA summons UBW and kills everyone" kinda thing.**

 **I'm mostly done with the outline of the entire story and how it ends; it's really just some branching paths towards the end that I am still deciding on. I'm fairly satisfied with how it's going to play out, though. I just hope I can write it all out satisfactorily.**

 **For those wondering about the routes each Servant came from, peter16373** **got it right** **:**

 **Fate route - Saber and Rider**

 **UBW route - Caster, Assassin, and Berserker**

 **Heaven's Feel route - Archer and Lancer**

* * *

The streets of Sighisoara was desolate—empty of life, the street lamps eerily illuminating the damp paths that crossed throughout the entire city. Rumors of the appearance of a serial killer had spread fear into the hearts and minds of tourists and locals, with almost no one daring to go out once the sun had set with the killer still at large. The few that did remain outside desperately tried to complete whatever task it was that left them alone at night.

"W-Who's there?"

A young woman, who had been late in closing up her shop, shivered in fear near a street lamp, her eyes wandering through the mists that had quickly wrapped itself over the familiar city she lived in. She could hear a giggling child echoing somewhere out of her sight. Strangely, she could not pinpoint where it came from, appearing to be coming out from the mist itself that surrounded her.

"Do you want to play?"

The voice that spoke to her was unmistakably that of a child, young and filled with glee.

"P-Please, just leave me alone," cried the young woman, clutching her bag to her chest tightly. "I just want to go home!"

"But that's boring." The child's voice seemed to multiply as many more echoed out. "We don't like being bored."

The young woman fell to her knees, closing her eyes and sobbing.

"Let's play…"

She felt something small touch her back. When she opened her tear-stained eyes and turned, she saw the face of a small girl smiling at her. She didn't even see the knife that was about to slit open her throat.

"That won't do at all."

A long blade appeared and intercepted the knife, saving the young woman's life just in time.

Assassin of Black took her distance, flipping away as the sword repelled her. She tilted her head in confusion at seeing the Japanese man that had appeared.

"Beautiful they may be, a flower picked too early leaves only a painful image behind." He stood in front of the young woman, a whimsical smile on his face as he rested the back of his long katana on his shoulder.

"Isn't it pass the time for children to go to bed?" he said as he and Assassin of Black stared at each other. "Perhaps this older brother should put you to sleep?"

"Mother said we could stay up and play," answered Assassin of Black, taking out another knife from her side. "So we're going to play."

Her small body faded into the mist, disappearing from Sasaki Kojirou's view. The Assassin of Blue slowly leveled his blade, then swung out to the top corner of his right at seemingly nothing. There was the audible sound of metal striking metal. Assassin of Black appeared briefly as their blades had clashed before the mists once again devoured her from sight.

Sasaki readied his katana once again.

"Young lady." He glanced at the woman behind him. "I believe that you should leave now. It's too dangerous for you to be here."

The young woman, who had been staring confusedly since his appearance, shakily rose to her feet and quickly left.

Suddenly, Sasaki slashed vertically where the woman had just been. The mists swirled and moved unnaturally from where the tip of his blade had swung.

"You can see us?" came Assassin of Black's voice.

"Not at all," answered Assassin of Blue with a smile. "Though, I'm good enough at sensing where you are. It does not matter that my eyes cannot see you. In fact, it is quite the boon in this case. I dislike having to cut the form you have taken."

Thanks to his intrinsic ability as a martial artist, he is able gauge Assassin of Black's presence accurately. Even so, the mists blur even that ability unless Assassin of Black let's out any hint of bloodlust.

"Not fair."

"Such is life," he boldly replied. "Assassins like us know this better than most. The life we have is the life that takes."

Multiple knives tore through the mists, headed straight for his head. He deflected each and everyone of them with a quick stroke of his blade. He rushed forward, his sword dancing in a wave while sparks broke out as it repeatedly clashed with Assassin of Black's knife, her body momentarily appearing each time.

Sasaki stopped, then leaned on one foot forward, bringing the hilt of his nodachi back to his shoulder, taking a stance. There was no movement that could be seen from the two battling Assassins and everything became engulfed in mist and silence. Everything was still, save for the mist that swirled around them.

After letting out a single breath, he shifted and vanished from the spot he stood in an instant. A cry rang out and blood spilled onto the street.

Assassin of Black reappeared, clutching her limp hand that was dripping red. Assassin of Blue appeared in front of her, drops of blood flowing down from his sword.

"It seems that it is now time to put you to rest. Killing someone with an appearance like yours, I do regret it. However, your continued existence here cannot be allowed. This, my Master has ordered me so."

Assassin of Black carefully backed away as Assassin of Blue walked closer toward her, intending the finish her off.

"Yahoo!"

A gust of wind broke through the mists from above, causing both Assassins to shield their eyes. Landing between them, Rider of Black appeared, holding his ornate golden lance that gleamed even through the misty blanketed street.

"It is I!" he declared proudly, raising his lance with a smug look. "One of the Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne, Astolfo! A Servant of the Black faction! You guys don't mind if I drop in, do you?"

"Get out of my way!"

A voice roared out from behind him. He nearly got trampled when a silver-red knight clad in crimson lightning burst through, batting him away with her sword as she passed.

"Wha—?!" Astolfo cried out in confusion after he just barely managed to block the strike with his lance, getting knocked off balance.

Saber of Red practically smashed her sword down at Assassin of Blue, who looked surprised to see the armored Servant suddenly charge at him. He managed to deflect it with his nodachi, causing the heavy sword to hit the ground and tear deeply into the earth, blasting small bits of stone from the impact.

"You…" Her voice dripped with fury as she turned a hateful glare towards him. "You're one of that Ruler's Servants, right? So you must know where they are!"

She lifted up her blade and rushed straight for Assassin of Blue once again. A quick strike from her side caused her to stop and jump back to avoid it.

"You're being quite rude, you know?" complained Astolfo as he grinned and aimed his lance at her. "It's not nice to interrupt someone's awesome entrance. I waited a long time to get the timing right, too."

"I told you to get out of my way," said Saber of Red, her voice seemingly shaking with bare restraint. Her anger was almost enough for the other Servants around her to mistake her for Berserker. "If you don't, then I'll kill you too."

The mists around them slowly began to dissipate. Assassin of Black had withdrawn from the battlefield, taking her chance when Saber of Red had arrived. Soon, the three Servants of each opposing faction were able to see each other and their surroundings clearly. They were in the wide central square of the city, with no one else but them facing against each other on an open field with their weapons at hand.

"It appears that the night here is far noisier than I'd thought it would be," said Assassin of Blue.

It became a three-way battle between them. They watched each other carefully, staying unmoving in a circle from their spot. If one tried to strike another, then they would surely leave themselves open for the other one to attack.

Finally, after being seemingly the first one to get frustrated by the deadlock, Saber of Red roared out and went ahead to attack Sasaki. The Assassin of Blue managed to weave his blade over hers, deflecting it upwards. When he moved in to counterattack, she slammed her body forward onto his, pushing him and stopping his attack. In that moment, Astolfo had tried to attack her, trying to stab at her side. Saber of Red managed to dodge it by shifting her weight, grabbing the lance underneath her armpit.

"Huh?!" Astolfo's feet dangled off the ground as Saber of Red lifted him up with his own lance. "Hey, isn't this too much?!"

"I told you…" Saber of Red snarled like a beast at him. "TO GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!"

The Paladin of Charlemagne squeaked as he sailed through the air after Saber of Red used his own lance to throw him.

"Ugh…" Astolfo rubbed his sore butt as he stood up from where he had landed. "I think I'm going to need some help with this one."

Saber of Red threw down his golden lance and was about to turn her attention back to Sasaki when an arrow pierced her shoulder. She pulled the arrow out and crushed it, glaring at Astolfo, or more precisely, at the Servant far back behind him who stood in one the city towers.

"Archer of Black!" she growled. "Are you going to get in my way too?!"

A trio of arrows answered her. Before they could hit though, a different set of arrows whistled pass Saber of Red and intercepted them.

"Ho, it looks you're not the only archer around here." Saber of Red grinned viciously from underneath her helmet. She had just been informed by her Master that the priest had sent their faction's Archer to aid them.

Archer of Black turned his attention towards Assassin of Blue instead. He fired another round of three arrows at the Assassin, however, they were once again intercepted midair by arrows as well.

"Well, this is quite the coincidence, then," smiled the samurai. "Our own Archer is watching my back as well."

"That suits me just fine," said Saber of Red. The Knight of Treachery wanted to interrogate them. With two of them there, it just meant that she didn't have to worry too much about accidentally killing one.

* * *

Mordred couldn't help but grind her teeth as she glared at the two Servants before her. She wasn't interested at all with fighting the Black Servants right now and only wanted to beat the answer she wanted out of the Servant with the long katana. He may wield a sword, but she knew for sure that he wasn't the Saber of Ruler's faction.

That position would certainly be taken by her father.

"I''ll beat you both down!" she roared as she again acted out first, not caring if it would put her in a disadvantage. She could tell after the brief exchange earlier that she was stronger than the two anyway. If the skill of their respective archers were the same, then she would be able the crush them.

She didn't bother dodging the arrow coming at her, knowing that Archer of Red would knock it down for her. She tried to attack the samurai Servant, slashing and swinging her sword at him violently. It proved ineffective, though, as the man continuously parried her sword with an almost delicate touch of his long, seemingly fragile blade. She didn't even have time to be frustrated by it, because he would try to take her head off if she lost focus for even a moment during her attack.

And when she tried to overwhelm his skill with brute strength, Rider of Black would take the chance to strike at her.

She blocked and tried to dodge the paladin, breaking the pressure off the other Servant and narrowly avoiding the pointed end of his lance. Normally she would ignore a few small hits so that she could counter with a stronger attack, but her instincts told her that it would be bad news for her if she even got grazed by the tip of his lance. She considered dealing with the Black Servant first, however, she also felt that leaving her back open to the other Servant would be far too dangerous.

Mordred clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Probably Assassin then, huh?"

The three of them exchanged blows to and fro, arrows flying narrowly from their backs and all around them, sometimes almost hitting them if not for the accurate shots of their own archers watching out for them. After several minutes of hard and quick hits that were almost too fast for the naked eye, all three broke off at the same time and took their distance once again, creating a short lull in their fast and furious combat.

Out of the three of them, Mordred knew that she was the one getting the short end. Every time she'd come close to overpowering one of them, the other would immediately put pressure on her. She knew that they understood that she'd be able to take them on by herself, so they were making sure to keep her from taking out one of them too soon.

"Sneaky bastards," she murmured.

Because of that she couldn't press down too hard on either of them. Being in the middle of a populated city also limited her from using the full extent of her abilities. She couldn't risk using it without being absolutely sure that it wouldn't hit any of the innocent people that lived there. At the very least, it would seem that all the other Servants weren't able to do so as well.

If only the Black faction wasn't there, then she could take Assassin down easy enough.

"Looks like I'm finally done here." Rider of Black casually broke her stance and breathed a sigh of relief, pulling up his lance. "Sorry, but my Master appears to be done with her work. I guess this is bye for now. Later guys! Try not to die too quickly, Mister samurai!"

She and Assassin watched as he jumped high into the sky, grabbing onto a hippogriff that had flown by. Rider of Black grinned and waved goodbye to them both as he left.

"Well, this has left me in quite a predicament."

Saber laughed at Assassin's comment. He was good as dead if he tried to fight her head on.

"If you tell me what I want, then I might consider beating you only half-dead," she said. "What say you, Assassin of the blue camp? At least you'll still be alive for a short time in this war."

"A brutal offer that would be hard to turn down," he said amusedly. With practiced ease, he raised his blade and took his stance. "But still, I must refuse. I cannot show a poor performance here if I wish to return to my Master. I'd also hate for her to be saddened if I should die here."

"You've got guts, I'll give you that."

Mordred tightened her grip on Clarent, the sword she'd stolen and claimed from her father. She won't allow herself to be beaten with it by her side. Not until she met her father once again.

And that meant cutting down the opponent in front of her.

She used Mana Burst to strengthen her body, running full speed towards him. She swung her sword and so did he. Again, she felt the power she put into her strike useless as Assassin changed the trajectory of her slash with his blade. She dodged his retaliatory strike, and struck again. Even as he continued to beat her in skill with the sword again and again, nearly taking her neck with each of his attempt to counter, she continued to push him with her brute strength, blocking and dodging as needed.

Finally, with a single downward strike, he was unable to parry it as he did before, her sword catching him partially on his shoulder. The strength of her blows had finally begun to wore him down, even though he had continuously deflected her blade.

She was right that he couldn't outlast her if she pushed hard enough.

"Not a very elegant way of fighting, I see," said Assassin as he touched the light wound curiously. Even though she was cornering him, he continued to remain calm. "Although, I cannot deny its effectiveness."

"This is a fight," she said, preparing to charge at him again. "I don't care what you think of me. I'll bite and kick you to death if it means I'll win in the end."

In a burst of speed she rushed at him again. As she continued to press on her attack, he began to back away, no longer holding his ground but moving away in retreat.

Mordred heard the voice of her Master sound in her head. 'Hey! You're leaving the square! Archer of Red can't help you if you guys are out of her sight!'

"That's fine!" she answered back as she continued to chase Assassin down the street. "That means their Archer can't do anything either!"

If Assassin thought she'd be easier to deal with in a closer space, then he would be wrong. However, it seemed that wasn't what he had intended.

After turning at a sharp corner trying to catch the slippery Assassin in her grasp, Mordred immediately raised her sword in defense. She felt the impact on her sword, causing her to back off.

It wasn't Assassin that had tried to attack her.

"You're really quite the stubborn one, aren't you, Saber of Red? Like a savage dog that won't let go of its bone."

She took a moment to step back, narrowing her eyes at the Servant that stood beside Assassin. A dark-skinned and white-haired man that wielded dual swords of black and white. He had an infuriating smirk that annoyed her just by looking at him.

She hated him instantly. Even worse than how Assassin had frustrated her in their fight.

"Another Blue Servant, huh?" She didn't really care which Servant he was. Her Master was telling her to retreat, but she shut him out. "Doesn't matter. At least I only need to leave one of you alive after I cut you both down!"

"You really don't think much of us, huh?" sighed the man. "Or is it your just that desperate that you don't even care?"

"Do I look like I'm afraid?" she growled. Fighting the both of them wouldn't be much different from before.

"That's not what I meant."

Mordred glared at him, suspicious of his words.

"Tell me, Saber of Red," he said, the smirk on his face turning into a stern one, "What will you do if you meet?"

She felt her fury freeze for a full second.

"…What are you talking about?"

"The one you're trying so desperately to see," he said as his grey eyes knowingly pierced through her helm at her.

Her thoughts stalled for a brief moment. This Servant knew who she was. Even though her helmet, Secret of Pedigree, should have hidden her identity from all magecraft and skills, he still acted as if he knew exactly who it was underneath it.

"Surprised?" the Servant asked. "She would be too most likely."

"How…?" she whispered, her mind racing throught the possibilities of how he had known.

He raised his white sword at her. "I ask again, what will you do if you meet?"

After rampaging loudly since earlier in the battle, Mordred was quiet. She couldn't answer him. After all, ever since finding out that her father had also been summoned to this Great Holy Grail War, the thought of meeting him consumed her. All that mattered to her was seeing her father once again. Whether that meeting resulted in them crossing blades or not, she had not bothered giving it much attention.

"...Shut up."

"Are you going to mock her? Attack her? Strike her down and end her life like the last time you met?"

"I told you to shut up!"

"Or is it that… you plan on dying by her hands?"

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!"

Her vision turned red, and so did everything around her. Blind rage coursed through her very veins as red lightning emanated from the core of her being. She couldn't feel or think of anything else. As here mana built with her emotions, her eyes locked on the man that had caused her to be like this.

Mordred didn't need him or the other Servant anymore. She would kill them both.

She poured all of her hatred, anger, and anguish into Clarent, and the sword glowed bright red, electrifying and shaking with energy. A blazing red beam rose up from her sword, reaching high into the sky. She would use it to make him and her problems disappear.

"SABER, BY ORDER OF MY COMMAND SEAL, I ORDER YOU TO STAND DOWN!"

Through the haze of crimson, Mordred recognized the voice of her Master. He wasn't directly speaking through their mental link, so that meant he was somewhere close by.

The mana that had she had gathered suddenly dispersed, and so did the fog that clouded her mind. His command restrained her as well, forcing her to her knees and stopping her from making any other moves to attack.

Or to defend herself.

"You're lucky to have a sensible Master," said the dual-wielding Servant, looking at her with pity. He and Assassin could finish her off right then and there before the effects of the Command Seal wore off. "As a show of our appreciation for it, we're going to quietly leave things the way they are. You should be grateful to him."

"Are you… going to run away, you coward?!" Mordred was able to lift one foot as she tried to struggle against her Master's command, gritting her teeth as she glared at red and black clothed Servant. It's hold on her would not cease completely until she complied. "This isn't over!"

"It is."

His blades broke into motes of light, Assassin already gone from his side.

As he turned his back to her, he gave her one final glance.

"You should really think more on it. What would happen if the two of you were to meet?"

He left, leaving her to fume in her current state.

Not soon after, she could hear the footsteps of her Master jogging toward her.

"You okay?" he asked.

Mordred removed her helmet and glared furiously at him.

"Why did you stop me, you stupid mage!" she shouted. "I had them!"

"Looks like you're fine to me." Her Master came up to her and… punched her right in her cheek. It didn't really hurt, and in fact, actually felt like that her Master might have injured his own hand at doing so.

"What are you—?!"

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" Her Master bellowed at her before she could even get angry at him.

She was taken aback.

"Do you have any idea what you were about to do?!" he continued. "Think about it for a minute!"

What was she about to do? She was going to kill the enemy Servants just a few moments ago before he'd stopped her. With her Noble Phantasm, Clarent Blood Arthur, there would be nothing left of them. She would win. And that would mean…

"…The people here would have died," she realized. She'd forgotten that they were in the middle of a populated city. Had she released her Noble Phantasm, countless people would have perished in an instant.

"That's right." Her Master shook his head and sighed. "You would have destroyed a large portion of the city and gotten innocent people killed. The amount of death that Assassin of Black caused would be nothing compared to the damage that you would have done if I didn't stop you with a Command Seal. Thinking about how close you were to doing that…"

Mordred slumped and allowed herself to completely fall on her knees, cold realization of what her actions could have caused washed over her. It would have been a massacre. One that would have been the direct result of her action.

"Well, don't dwell too much on it. You haven't been acting yourself lately ever since we got that message from Father Shirou." Kairi lit a cigarette and puffed a smoke. "I should really should have done something about it sooner, so I deserve part of the blame. Losing a Command Seal to calm you down is a small price to pay for that."

"Master…"

The mage was making light of what she had done. Losing a Command Seal for a Master is terrible loss, even more so when it was wasted on something minor as calming her down. Any other mage would be infuriated with her.

"This is just a small step back in this war," he clarified, turning away from her. She could see him pocketing his hand in his jacket. It must've really hurt. "If you lose your reason, we probably have no chance of winning. It would also be a pain to clean up the mess afterwards. There is nothing else to it, so don't go thinking anything unnecessary."

"Sure." Mordred finally grinned, thinking her Master was a pretty soft-hearted guy for a mage in his trade. "Ha, I guess I really am lucky to have a necromancer that likes to sleep around in graveyards like you for a Master, huh?"

"Don't go around mocking me." Kairi frowned. "I don't like sleeping that close with the dead anymore than you do. I already told you the reason for that already."

"I was being serious." Mordred was finally able to rise to her feet, dematerializing her armor and appearing in the casual clothes her Master had given her

"Somehow I feel like you're still making fun of me."

"Can't help it if that's the truth," she shrugged.

"Well, we should probably head back to Trifas. I doubt Assassin of Black is going to show up here again with so many Servants that showed up." Kairi took one last puff of his cigarette before putting it out with his boot. "You sure you're okay now?"

"I'm… fine." Her head was a lot clearer now. "I just need to really think things through right now. The drive back should help."

"Well, don't burn out your brain, okay? I don't mind if you let out a little steam every now and then." He started the walk back to their car. "Just don't go making me waste another Command Seal. And... talk to me if you need to."

As they walked back, Mordred mulled over the words that the white-haired Servant left her.

What would happen? What would she do if she and her father met?

* * *

Jack the Ripper looked back to see the blazing red pillar that had suddenly struck out from where she had left the other Servants. Even as far away as she was already, she could clearly sense the immense power that rippled from it. She was fortunate to have been able to escape because of the interference of the other Servants. She wasn't so sure she could have made it out against the other Assassin. He wasn't her kind of prey to begin with.

"It hurts…" she whined as she stared at the deep cut on her arm. "But mother will fix us. She told us she'll even make us hamburg steak tonight."

Her mother and Master waited for her in a room they rented near the outer zone of the city while she went out to play. She really liked her mother. She would smile at her and pamper her just like they've always wanted. It pleased them greatly to be around her.

Not like that man that summoned her.

He wasn't a very nice man. He wanted her to hurt mother.

So she hurt him instead. Hurt him very bad.

As Jack came closer towards the place where her mother was, she paused at the top of a wooden pole. She felt the presence of enemies nearby. Near where her mother was.

Jack broke into a silent but rapid rush, jumping from building to building as her heart and mind were focused on getting to her mother as fast as she could. Once she could see the light from their room open from across the street, she leapt towards the balcony and crashed through the windows directly into their small living room.

She saw her mother in front of her, eyes showing regret as she could not speak or move as her limbs and mouth were bound. At her side, two women watched Jack indifferently. One was a young woman in a wheelchair, and the other standing and slightly older with a more mature figure. They were the ones who did that to her mother.

"Kill…" Jack took her knives out.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said the girl in the wheelchair. "Not if you want your Master to remain unharmed that is."

Jack considered if she could kill them before they could even think of touching her mother. In a small room like this, even mages would find it impossible to beat a Servant like her in speed. They would fall in no more than a few seconds.

"Your Master is under a curse," said the older woman, breaking into a wretched smirk. "Her life is tied to mine. Should I die, then she would too."

Then cut off her limbs and keep her alive. It would take a little longer, but Jack was confident she could do it. She'll cut off her tongue too just to be sure.

The malicious woman grinned even wider, appearing to read her thoughts.

"Just so you know, I made the curse myself. It's a complex curse that can be activated in multiple ways that even a Caster-class Servant would take some time to figure it all out." She walked close to Jack's mother and used her riding crop to lift her chin up. Her mother glared angrily at the woman with tears in her eyes. "You do anything I don't like, and your poor Master will die in a most excruciating way. She won't die immediately, though. She'll feel pain so terrible that she would most likely bite her own tongue off to try and hasten her death. I've seen others do that before. It's hilarious that they think that because the curse will make sure they won't die that quickly even if they did.

Jack frowned and looked worriedly at her mother.

"You'll be a good little girl and listen well now, will you?" asked the woman that smelt of blood. Her eyes shone with cruelty that Jack was very familiar with. She'd have no second thoughts that the woman would kill her mother without hesitation.

Jack had no choice, so she put her blades back.

"Very good," nodded the girl in the wheelchair. "Allow us to introduce ourselves. We are the Yggdmillienia clan. Also known as the Black faction that is competing in this Great Holy Grail War. I am Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillenia, and this is Celenike Icecolle Yggdmillennia. We are Masters in this war and are here to pick you up, Assassin of Black, Jack the Ripper. It would be in your best interest to follow us back to our castle in Trifas. Of course, your Master will be joining us as well."

If it was her who placed the curse, Jack could tell that she would be more hesitant, and thus, probably an easier target for her than the other mage. She could feel that she cared more about taking her mother's life. She could have used that.

But she could not risk losing her mother. She was important. She was everything to her.

"Okay," said Jack with a nod. "We will follow you. But if you hurt mother, then we won't forgive you. Okay?"

The Yggdmillennia mages nodded their agreement.

"Ever."


	3. Chapter 3

After stepping foot within the boundary of Caster's territory, Archer made a small smile. He found it amusing that he would feel slightly at ease here, even with the witch never missing a chance to give him a contemptuous glare. The hate he received could pass for a physical manifestation like that of Assassin of Black's mist.

"That was quite reckless of you."

Archer turned around to find Assassin watching him. For the most part, they had returned from Sighisoara peacefully without further incident. Ruler had already been briefed on the specifics of the mission through their mental link.

"I did what had to be done," he shrugged.

"While not to seem ungrateful to your assistance, I can't say I approve of your method of doing so." Assassin dematerialized into his casual clothing, leaving him wearing his purple jacket and light jeans. "Provoking that Saber into using her Noble Phantasm with so many innocent people nearby… I doubt our kind Master would approve of it."

Indeed. It was one reason why Archer had not informed Ruler of the exact details of how they had managed to escape from Saber of Red's grasp. He had no doubt that the saint would have spoke in greater length to him had she had known of it.

"I knew her Master was close by," he answered. The mage had been watching the battle closely from one of the buildings. "And just as I thought, he had used a Command Seal to stop his Servant from unleashing her Noble Phantasm. With the added loss of a precious Command Seal, the plan was more than worth the risk."

"And if he hadn't?" said Assassin. "You put far too much stock in a mage caring about others more than himself. Had he decided the lives of those people are far cheaper than his chances of winning the Great Holy Grail War, what then would you have done?"

"Then I would have put my life on the line to stop it."

Archer could feel the calculating gaze of the samurai search for a hint of a lie on his face. There was no need for him to do so. He had meant every word.

"You're really far too reckless." Assassin shook his head and sighed.

"This war has only just begun," said Archer. Already he could see the difficult path ahead of him and their side. "I don't hold any notion of winning it without taking any risks. If this war could be won so easily, then I doubt we would have been summoned here in the first place."

"War without adversity is one not worth winning."

Assassin strolled ahead as Archer followed. The forest surrounding them was thick, but the cobbled road they were on cut straight through towards the mansion. Daylight had begun to spread through the branches and leaves as the sun rose.

Archer enjoyed the tranquility this place. His thoughts began to wander of blurred times of long, long ago. One particular memory had always calmed him.

Underneath a large shaded tree at the front garden of the mansion, a lone girl rested on both her knees with closed eyes. Dressed humbly in her attire of a simple blue skirt and a white blouse, she gave off a feeling of quiet peace and comfort. Her short golden hair swayed blissfully by the gentle touch of a breeze that rustled the leaves above her.

For a moment, Archer thought himself dreaming. Mesmerized.

"Saber…"

At the sound of his voice, the girl opened her brilliant green eyes and smiled ever so slightly at him.

"So you've both returned," she nodded as she stood up to meet them. "I am glad to see you two arrive safely. Welcome back."

No matter how much time had passed, no matter how much he had forgotten, it was only memories of her that stood clearly in his mind after the waves of bitterness and despair ate away at his past and his ideal. He had always wondered why.

This small girl had been the King of all Britain once. She had fought and died for people she had barely known since she was young. Proudly and without faltering, she continued to serve her people to the utmost of her ability, losing her identity as a female along with taking the mantle of their king. And all of that had led her to that tragic, lonely death. Even the reason she was before him now had been because of her wish for the good of her people.

A wish that, should it have been fulfilled, would have put her on the same path as he.

"…Archer?"

He stirred from his thoughts to see Saber staring concernedly at him.

"I need to go prepare breakfast," he said as he brushed past her.

At least she was not corrupted and altered as she had been in his Grail War. He had no choice but to numb himself after he had heard she had been devoured by that shadow. It was enough knowing that she was fine right before him.

Still, there was still the matter that concerned him now.

"Mordred," he murmured the name to himself as he walked. The son that had killed the father. From that single meeting before, he knew the Knight of Treachery would not stop until she stood face to face with the object of her obsession.

If it is her father's death that Saber of Red sought, then he would stand in her way. He won't allow Saber to die a second time. Not while he lives.

* * *

Saber did not understand why Archer had been staring at her with a difficult to understand expression on his face. The no-name Servant had quickly ignored her afterward, giving her the cold shoulder.

Same as the time she had first met him, he found him somewhat a hard man to measure. He didn't treat her badly nor did he try to befriend her. Now that they were together with other Servants, it was clear to her that he did not show the same inclination towards any of the other Servants. Though they shared their doubts about him before, he didn't seem to hold that against them and treated them as his comrades, speaking with them frankly, and sometimes with a biting tongue. Even with Caster, who sometimes showed him outright hostility.

More relaxed.

That was it. Whenever she was near him he would be guarded and distant, even when it is required for them to speak to each other. She was the only one he treated that way.

It was strange to her as to why.

She didn't feel as though he hated her. On the contrary, there was an odd but small warmth in his eyes whenever he first notices her. She'd barely catch a glimpse of it before it was gone, replaced by a mask of cold indifference.

"A difficult man to understand," said Assassin.

"Do you believe I've done something to offend him?" she queried.

"I don't believe so," he answered as he cradled his chin. "I don't think he is the type to take offense so easily and not speak of it. He can be quite blunt."

"I see…" Saber felt somewhat depressed. She had thought highly of him after Illya had told her of his heroic end.

Though perhaps she had been wrong?

Assassin had said that he had tried to kill her Master through deceit, betraying the pact that both of their Masters had established in order to do so. That was an act that tainted their titles of heroes. He had planned it to eliminate the competition for the Grail. It certainly was an objective that those who'd wish to win not matter the cost would go for.

So then, why was it that he had obeyed his Master's orders willingly and without remorse to stall Berserker? As valiant and commendable his final battle had been, he had to have known that he had been sent to his death. It was an act that did not match that of an opportunist that only sought success at the very end.

"What do I think of Archer?"

Her curiosity led her to Lancer, who for some reason or other had taken to sitting down near the water's edge of the lake to fish. When she'd ask if their provisions had not been enough, the Irish hero simply answered it was just something to pass the time as they really had nothing much else to do right now.

"Why are you asking me?" he asked. "You know we tried to kill each other the first time we met, right? It's not like we've been together for a long time."

"That's precisely why I chose to ask you," said Saber. "You've exchanged serious blows against each other. One's character cannot wholly be concealed in battle between two warriors. Surely you know this?"

Lancer frowned as he stared at the bobbing of his bait in the water. "I can't really deny that. You could say I got a good glimpse of his character after we had fought. He's the kind of guy that I can't really approve of, but I can't really dislike him completely for it as well. A type of bastard that's hard for me to hate completely, is what I would say I guess?."

"Then why do you think he had attempted to kill my Master?"

"That red-headed kid? Heck if I know. I think he would have done what was needed to win, but I don't think he would have killed someone that didn't need to be killed. No offense, but your Master seemed like the kind of guy that would have probably surrendered at the finals if it meant no one else would have to die for it."

Saber couldn't really refute that. Shirou was idealistic and somewhat naive. If she did not protest against it, then it wasn't out of the question for him to give up on the Grail and give it to Rin.

So what reason did Archer have for wanting to kill Shirou?

"Look, that guy… he doesn't seem to be all that bad, really." Lancer pulled on his rod, reeling in a rather large fish. After examining it, he tossed it into a pail next to him along with all the others he had caught. "Don't get me wrong, I still don't trust him. But we can't really be sure why he did that, since he's not really the one that tried to do it in the first place. We're from different paths that we as the losing Servants had taken. I can't really be judging him either, since I kind of technically tried to do the same thing to your Master, too."

Saber had almost forgotten that. It was during that night that she had been summoned right at that exact moment to save Shirou's life.

"Try not to think too much on it." Lancer put away his gear and lifted the heavy pail full of fish. "It was a Holy Grail War. Things were bound to get crazy one way or another. I'm sure this one will probably be more of the same. Anyway, I gotta get this to Archer. He promised he'd cook them how I like it if I caught some fresh ones."

For someone who just said he didn't trust him, he sure didn't mind him cooking the food he eats.

"What? A man's still gotta eat, you know!"

He was a Servant. He really didn't need to eat at all.

Saber shed her cold stare and sighed, following Lancer back towards the mansion.

Whatever the case may be, it was an undeniable truth that Archer was a culinary expert. He at least did not ignore her ravenous appetite, for which she was grateful for.

* * *

Ruler wondered why is it that mages, irregardless of the era, always seemed to prefer working in dimly lit surroundings. Most mages did not have naturally acquired night vision, so it just seemed to her as though they would have a hard time seeing during their work. For such delicate and tricky spellwork, they seemed to court needless danger by adding such another element that could go wrong in their magecraft.

The large basement below the mansion was large and had been completely converted by Caster into her workshop. Greek characters and symbols were etched in the four corners of the walls and seemed to glow in an eerie iridescent purple light, of which a few had been arranged into complicated geometric patterns.

At the center of this room floated Caster, a crystal ball similarly floating between her hands. The soft white aura coming from the ball casted deeper shadows upon her hooded face, making her look quite insidious.

"Did you manage to track down any of the Servants that Archer and Assassin encountered?" Ruler asked.

She could see the Servant give a smirk.

"Indeed I have," she answered. "Sadly, I could only keep track of one. The Servants of Black had left the battle too early, but it doesn't really matter since we know where they are anyway, completely confident in the defense of their castle. As for the Red Servants, they appear to be hidden well. However it will only be a matter of time once this Servant leads us to their stronghold."

That was good. If Ruler had a general location for the other factions, she would be able to construct plans for going on the offensive. As one that had commanded armies into battle before, she knew full well that it was wishful thinking that they would win this war by simply hiding and hoping for the best.

"Caster," called Ruler. "Medea of Colchis."

Caster turned her attention at the sound of her true name.

Ruler had been reluctant to have this talk with her for some time now, but as a Master and Ruler-class Servant, she could not simply continue to ignore it. This was something that she had to understand clearly.

"You were princess of Colchis, daughter of King Aeëtes," spoke Ruler. "Will you share with me what is it that you would wish for should you be one who would be fortunate to win this war?"

Caster remained silent, the shadowed portion of her face hiding her gaze that seemed to be assessing Ruler.

"…You want to know if I am a Servant with ill intentions against the world," she finally replied. "I see. Since you know who I am, then you must know my story as well. I could understand why you would need to know."

"Will you tell me?"

Caster floated down slowly until she was on the ground and face to face with her. Her hand reached up to Ruler's cheek, caressing it softly.

"And if I told you, my dear sweet maiden, that I wanted to punish the world that had scorned and ruined me—forced me into despair—what then? Will you persuade me not to? Stop me? Or maybe just use a Command Seal to order me to take my own life?"

Ruler was firm in her resolve and did not shirk away. "If it comes down to it, then yes."

For a minute, Ruler could see the hidden eyes of Caster peeking from underneath her hood looking at her. They were the same color as her hair. There was a ethereal feeling from them that seemed to shimmer even covered in so much darkness.

Medea smiled, then giggled into laughter.

"My, how very strict of you," she said. "It saddens me a little that you did not hesitate at all. But still, I can't help but find such a quality to be beautiful as well. Rest assured, my dear Maid of Orléans. My wish is nothing for you to worry about. It is quite mundane, really."

"I would still wish to hear it," said Ruler firmly. "It is not just yours that I shall know of. I will ask all the other Servants their wishes as well. It is for the likelihood that if less than two Servants of our faction make it to the end of this war. I may ask the Greater Grail to grant their wish in their stead."

"You… would not use those wishes yourself?"

Ruler shook her head. "I have no need for wishes. My life had no regrets. Everything I had done, everything that I am, I owe to God."

She could see the lower exposed half of Caster's face twist with dissatisfaction. Just as Jeane knew Medea's history so too did she knew of hers. Though she was betrayed, burned and used as a scapegoat by those she protected with her life, she had known how it would end for her the moment she had answered the call of God.

When Caster withdrew her hand, Ruler held onto it and placed it over her heart.

"I do not expect you to believe in him as I do, nor do I believe that it will grant you salvation or peace," she said frankly, "But know that I will help you in anyway I can if it means easing the pain you've endured in your life. Please put your faith in me at least."

Caster paused for a moment, then quickly withdrew her hand back to her own chest, holding it as if it had been almost scalded. The princess of Colchi turned away from Ruler and proceed to float up towards her crystal ball in the air.

"What I wish for…" she said slowly without looking back at Ruler. "I wish to return to the only man I've ever truly loved. That's all."

Ruler nodded and smiled.

It truly was a simple wish. An ordinary one that can only be granted by something extraordinary.

"Now, if you could please leave me to my spells, I really do need to keep an eye on this," said Caster. "It may take some time. I shall inform you once I have the location of the Red faction."

"Thank you, Medea."

Ruler lowered her head to her before exiting the room, leaving Caster all alone.

"Jeane d'Arc…" whispered Caster. "They did not deserve you. Not the people nor God. After everything they've done, without a doubt in your mind you still forgave them."

Her hand gripped the top of her crystal ball, slowly it creaked until cracks started to appear, cutting through the image of an enemy Servant running through the forests.

"I am not the same." Medea bit into her lip. "To think you would also be here. So this is how it is to be, is it? How twisted fate truly is." The crystal ball shattered and fell the the floor, the image of the enemy Servant still visible from the shards but broken. "Atalanta… You, I will never forgive."

* * *

"You sure about that?"

Kairi Sisigou was using one of the few existing telephone booths left in Wallachia. The scarred face and muscular necromancer had received a message that the head of the Department of Summoning in the Mage's Association wanted to speak directly through a phone line. He had sent in a message some time ago to Rocco Belfeban of Ruler and her faction's appearance and wanted to make sure how they would like him to proceed.

"You know our camp might be at a disadvantage later on if we go ahead with your plan," he continued over the phone.

"That is not the job we had sent you and the others out there for," answered the voice on the phone, a hiss of static due to the old phone lines present. "We ultimately do not care which of you win the war, so long as it is not the Yggdimillenia clan. Your first and foremost priority is their destruction. That is what we had paid you for. We see the addition of the Blue Servants as nothing more than added firepower towards that goal. You can choose to continue to participate for the Greater Grail once your objective has been completed."

The necromancer scowled after he heard the beeping tone that he had just been hung up on.

The Mage's Association did not seem to bothered by the news of an additional faction to the war. All they wanted was for Kairi to proceed with having the Black faction be the priority target of elimination for the war. It was understandable given that they had no other motives and were not overly concerned with forcing those they hired to hand over the Greater Grail to them should they win. You could say that most Clocktower mages embody some the most traditional qualities of a mage, so they clearly understood convincing them to do so was an attempt of the foolhardy.

"Ally ourselves with the Blue camp?" he murmured to himself as he hung up the receiver. Kairi looked through the glass of the booth over at blond girl sitting on a bench and playing with a cat. "She's not going to like this…"

After that battle in Sighisoara that almost became a disaster, Mordred had taken him up on his offer to talk, sitting him down at a corner of an out of the way town bar and listing her grievances and problems over bottle after bottle of alcohol. Though he had thought that he might die of liver poisoning, he had still managed to hold it in enough to pay attention to his Servant.

Kairi knew of Mordred' reputation. The infamous knight of the Round Table that had stained and ended the peaceful and prosperous kingdom of King Arthur, who he had mortally wounded in the battle of Camlann. He hadn't really known or had been interested much on the reason as to why the knight had done so.

After a night of heavy drinking and a morning of hard recovery and recollection, the necromancer understood his Servant better. He understood that they really should have been talking over at a buffet rather than a bar. That she doesn't hold back even in conversation once she got the ball rolling. That she had a lot of things to get off of her chest.

That there might be more reason as to why she had been the one he had summoned as his Servant.

Kairi approached her as he tried to shake the rambling thoughts in his head and the feeling of dread at having to endure what would most likely be a rather loud and possibly violent row.

"Hey, I need to talk to you about something."

Mordred looked up as she held the paws of the calico cat on her lap, her eyes watching Kairi with her full attention.

"I just got off the phone with the guy who hired me…" He adjusted his leather jacket needlessly. "There's been some change of plans for us."

"Change of plans?"

"Yeah. We're going to need to search for the Servants of Blue first. I was told that the rest of Red camp will be doing the same."

"It doesn't really matter which faction we start with anyway, right? That's not really so different."

"Well, it's not just that." Kairi chewed on his cheek as he attempted to spit out the words. "We're going to try and attempt to make peaceful contact with them. Basically, they want us to form an alliance with their camp to defeat that Black Servants."

Kairi unconsciously raised his arms in defense. He had said it. Now, all he had to do was convince her that this was the best thing to do for the time being. It would be an uphill battle, but it was his duty as her Master.

"…Okay."

"Huh?"

Kairi peeked out from his arms, his mouth agape as his ears didn't quite seem to understand the word she had spoken.

"Say what?"

"I said it's fine, isn't it?" Mordred pouted as she continued to play with the cat's paws. "If we ally ourselves with them it would be easier to wipe out the Black faction and we can concentrate on facing each other later on. It's a sound plan that probably wouldn't work if the other faction had been composed of regular mages for Masters, but since it's just Ruler herself who commands all seven Servants, the likelihood that the saint would betray us in any step of the way is pretty low."

"Uh, yeah…" said Kairi lamely. "And that's really okay with you?"

While Kairi was somewhat relieved that she wasn't putting up a fight against it, this simple acceptance kind of had him worried. He really didn't it would be this easy.

"Even I had been a knight of Arthur's Round Table before," she sighed. "I led armies into battle and made use of effective strategies to defeat our enemies. You can't simply win through sheer strength alone sometimes."

"You know there is a good chance that you'll see your father doing this?"

Mordred put the cat down as she appeared somber. "That… can't be helped, can it?"

Kairi knocked her lightly on her head. "Don't be so dull," he said. "If you don't want to do it, then don't. It could be a missed opportunity, but we'll have plenty of other ways and chances to win this war. I'll just tell them that we'll continue working on our own, same as before. We can let that priest handle this instead."

Mordred blinked blankly at him before breaking out into a wide grin.

"You're being too soft, you know, Master?" she said. The Knight of Treachery stood and stretched her arms out. "No. I don't mind this. I am going to have to face her someday. It's probably better this way so that I can meet her without any… distractions. It will be faster this way, too."

He had to hand it to her. She was a lot more mature than he had given her credit for.

"So, how are we supposed to find them?" she asked.

"We'll be going throught the places between the last place Ruler was seen and Trifas," he answered, pulling out a tourist map from his pocket and checking it. "They're probably holed up somewhere on their own, same as the rest of us. It will be somewhere between Trifas and the church Father Shirou is at. Hopefully we can get their attention somehow without turning it into a fight."

"Can I at least smack that guy from before just once?" Mordred cracked her knuckles. "Just one time. I swear I'll be peachy as a monk if you let me."

Kairi sighed. It was probably too much to expect her to be totally mature just because she had agreed.

* * *

Reika carefully pushed away the soft hair blocking the sleeping eyes of the little girl on her lap. Slowly, the child's eyes began to flutter awake, gazing lovingly at her and smiling.

"Mother?"

"Yes?" replied Reika with a smile. "Did you have a good nap?"

"We did." Jack rubbed her eyes as she pushed herself up. "Are we there yet?"

Reika looked towards the girl in front of her, Fiore Forvedge Yggdimillenia, who nodded. They were seated together facing each other in a roomy and rather well-furnished van that served as their transport. Sitting beside the mage was her own Servant, Archer of Black, who remained seated upright and calm.

"You can see the castle up ahead if you look out the window," said Fiore, pushing a button beside her to roll down the window next to Reika. "It is quite a breathtaking sight, if I may boast."

"Uwah!" Jack had already leaned out the open window, gazing at the enormous structure as the van slowly ran up towards the only road leading toward it. "It's big! Look, Mother! It's really big!"

"Yes, yes." Reika giggled, holding on to the small Servant by her waist to stop her from falling out. "Be careful now."

"Are we really going to stay there?"

It had not been a day yet when Reika had been strapped and bound to a chair, threatened to be killed in the most torturous ways as her beloved Jack looked at her in worry. Even now without the ropes binding her, she still felt immensely uneasy at the curse that the cruel older mage had etched inside of her. The pain had been bad enough that she had blanked out for a time before she had woken up already tied to a chair.

"We are," she answered softly, ruffling Jack's hair.

They didn't have much choice, really. With Reika's life in their hands, she couldn't think of any way for them to refuse them without losing their lives. If she were to die, Jack would surely attack them, and that would mean her death as well.

"Please be at ease," said Fiore. Though disabled, the mage was far kinder than the one that had cursed Reika. "We will provide you food and lodging that will be comparable to that of five-star hotels. It is not our intention to treat a Master of our faction badly."

Fiore had apologized earlier for her rough treatment and explained that it had been necessary if they wanted to make sure that Jack the Ripper did not try to outright murder them without them having to be able to even speak. She had looked so anxious and solemn about it that Reika believed her when she said that if they found another way she would have done so.

Soon the van rumbled to a stop, the engine turning off. Archer went down and lifted his Master to a wheelchair waiting for her. They had stepped down underneath the front gate of the castle. Waiting for them were a good-looking middle-aged man with long hair and a boy similar of age to Fiore.

"It's good to see you safe, sister," the boy greeted. So he was her sibling. No wonder they seemed to share some similar features.

Fiore smiled at him before Archer pushed her toward the middle-aged man.

"Grandfather," she greeted, slightly lowering her head. "We've accomplished our task as you requested." She turned and gestured her hand towards her as she cradled Jack in her arms. "Allow me to introduce you to Reika Rikudou. Assassin of Black's Master. Reika, this is the elder and the one who leads the whole Yggdmillenia clan, Darnic Prestone Yggdmillenia."

Reika was surprised to be greeted by such an important mage. She was even more surprised when the man walked up to her and kissed her on her hand just as a gentleman would.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Rikudou," he said kindly. "Please consider yourself a temporary guest and honored member of my clan for the duration of this war. Though we forced you to be here, it is our hope that you would help us in our endeavour. Rest assured that your safety and freedom will be guaranteed once this is all over."

"Thank you…"

Reika smiled at him. She smiled as she had always had when meeting men like him. Though he acted a gentleman, she could tell from his eyes of his cold and calculating nature. They just wanted to use her.

To use Jack.

"Please make yourself at home," he said. "This homonculus will take you to your room. Should you need anything, you need only ask her. We can proceed with creating a link between Assassin and our mana batteries later once you've rested and acclimated yourselves for a short while."

Reika nodded.

There was nothing she could do. For now, she could only go along with them.

Even so, Reika would try and find a way. For Jack.


	4. Chapter 4

The morning was bright and sunny. The brilliant radiance of the sun illuminated through the colorful stained glass of the church, adding much to the simple palate of the stone interior.

Sitting by the front pew near the altar, Shirou Kotomine quietly observed the biblical images depicted on the glass. Each and every church that used them chose the images differently from one another. There was no standardized method to their selection. From the shape of the glass to the colors and the people and the events shown in them. The ones who decide this can be but a single man whose belief would be what shall be reflected in those stained glass.

"Beautiful, aren't they?"

Shirou smiled at the surprising sultry whisper behind his ear.

"Perhaps I should make one of myself?" said Semiramis. Ever since he'd summoned her, the dual-class Servant had a penchant for appearing whenever he thought himself in tranquil solitude. Somehow, he couldn't shake the feeling that she liked to watch him during these times. But since she had Presence Concealment, he couldn't be quite sure of it. He had asked her about it, but the Servant made light of it and told him he thought too highly of himself.

"I'm sure it would be just as beautiful," he answered.

"Don't you mean it would be even more so?" she smiled as she went around in front of him, a most alluring scent following closely from her. It was strange to think that perfume could be poisonous, but with the world's oldest poisoner wearing it, such thoughts are… inconvenient. "I would like to have them displayed somewhere in my Hanging Gardens, but I am unsure of where. Of course it would be much easier to decide if I could see it out in its full glory."

"It is better to be patient." As much as Shirou understood how much she had wanted to show off her magnificent Noble Phantasm to him and the world, it wasn't yet the right time. They could not expect to assault the castle of Yggdimillenia without Ruler's faction taking action as well. And once it was launched, it was impossible for them to hide it from both factions.

Semiramis pouted and glared at him. She planted herself to the seat right next to him, a little too close than what he thought necessary.

"So, do you really plan on going along with this?" she asked.

"Yes."

The order from the Clocktower was not unexpected. As the church supervisor and Master, they had no qualms with relaying the orders through him to the rest of the other Masters they had hired. Due to the almost anti-social behavior of most mages, especially those with reputation and skill, it was an easy matter for him to make an excuse that the others were far too busy with their preparations to speak directly.

"This could actually solve a few problems for us," he continued. "Forming an alliance with Ruler will be beneficial for our side."

"Provided that a confrontation between us does not occur first," Semiramis pointed out.

"I am confident that Jeane d'Arc would not strike us down if we go to her with no intentions of fighting. Similarly, it would be unbecoming of her to stay idle when we wish to parley. A meeting between us should also help confirm to how much her abilities as a Ruler had been weakened and restricted to some extent."

Semiramis put a hand on his shoulder, leaned closer and whispered, "Perhaps I could even finish the discussions for you. End it all with one simple touch…"

Shirou could feel her pointed finger brush his ear.

"Her Servants would likely keep a close eye on her," he answered as she continued to play with his hair. "Still, she and her faction could be of use to us. Even if she were to discover my identity, she can no longer control any of the other Servants aside her own. Any other information we could uncover would simply be a bonus. There are no demerits to my goal in this case."

Semiramis huffed after seeing that her actions were not causing much effect on him. He felt a small whisper of pride in that.

"So then, we just lie here and wait?"

"Only until we make contact. The other Red Servants are out searching. Kairi Sisigou and his Servant have already begun as well."

"That necromancer…" Semiramis grimaced. "We really should have taken control of him. If we had all the Red Servants united under one Master, this would be much easier."

Shirou thought so, too. However, it was not possible given how wary the mage and his Servant had been.

"Well, sitting idle like this may not be so bad either." Semiramis laid down her head on his shoulder, her scent tickling his nose. "Just the two of us…"

"OBSCENE!"

Both Shirou and Semiramis couldn't help but jump in surprise.

Caster of Red had barged through the closed church doors, stopping to pose in a dramatic fashion, facing upwards with his eyes closed and a hand to his temple. He was also the only other Servant beside Semiramis that liked to surprise Shirou, less intentional and more to do with his character though. The poet had a way of shattering silence wherever he went in an audacious and spectacular manner that it should be considered a skill.

Shirou had found the timeless and greatest writer of the English language to be an interesting character.

"W-What?!" sputtered Semiramis. Her face was flushed.

"To have to languish in this place while additional characters have been cast is much too obscene!" Caster reiterated, walking toward them in stride as his hands gestured his very emotions to the world without censor. "Oh, how I wish to see for myself all the heroes of the other factions. It is a pity that I cannot."

"…So that's what you meant."

Shirou could see his Servant's eyebrow twitching as her hands slowly closed and opened.

"I can see you are itching for something to happen as well, Queen of Assyria," Shakespeare said upon seeing her state. "Fear not! Once the intermission is over, there will be plenty to see!"

Shirou had to take hold of Assassin of Red's arm to calm her down. She showed a strained smile to him, as if trying badly to lie to him that she hadn't been planning on doing anything terrible to their ally.

"I thought you said all the other Servants were out searching for Ruler?" she asked, her eyes appearing to complain to him.

"Alas, our Master had another task for me," said Caster. "If it were not so, then I too would have liked to have had the chance to seek out the French maiden and her entourage."

"Is it done?" Shirou inquired.

From behind his cloak, Caster produced a sheathed Japanese sword.

Miike Tenta Mitsuyo. Shirou reached out and grabbed it. The mana that was now flowing through it signified that Caster had successfully turned the famous but simple armament into a Noble Phantasm thanks to his Enchant skill. At least now he would not be wholly disadvantaged if a fight were to breakout in his meeting with Jeane d'Arc.

If she was weakened to the same state as he is, then he wondered which of them would win should they fight?

He chuckled at the thought of an idea Caster would no doubt share.

A battle between two Rulers.

* * *

Sitting atop the bough of the highest tree for miles all around, Atalanta carefully scanned the surrounding wilderness. There was nothing for miles and miles but nature. No trace of civilization or man. No one else but her and the animals.

"Shouldn't you be searching somewhere else?" she sighed down at the man leaning with his back against her tree.

"I wasn't really told where to search," Rider of Red answered and smiled. "So I thought it would be more interesting if I followed you around, sis."

Since they received their commands to search for the Blue Servants, Achilles had accompanied her rather than go off on his own way.

"Are you really insisting on following me around like a child?"

"It's not like we're in a particular rush," he shrugged. "I'm sure we'll find them sooner or later. I bet you Lancer might find them first with how serious he is. But if you want, I could always make a big ruckus and draw them out for you? I'm sure I can drag them in."

"Honestly, I don't see how you became that man's son." Atalanta knew his father from her time with the Argonauts. He was a humble man that was far different than most of the other warriors with them at the time, one of the few men that she did not come to dislike. His son, however, was proud and confident like so many others before him. Unlike them though, he earnestly admired her due to having grown up to tales of her from his father, so she couldn't honestly hate him or seriously push him away.

"Hey, sis? Have you ever seen your Master?"

"No." Atalanta didn't really care, so long as her Master had the same goal as she did in trying to obtain the Greater Grail. "I can feel the connection between us that supplies my mana, but other than that I've only ever seen that priest."

"Don't you think that's a little strange?"

Atalanta glanced down to see the doubtful look on Rider's face.

"It's not something that's unthinkable for a mage," she answered. "You know how they can be. They're a mistrustful lot. I think it's actually better like this since it means they can't get in the way." Masters were far more fragile than their Servants, so a common strategy in Grail Wars have been to aim at their lives instead of trying to defeat their Servants.

"It's not just that," Rider continued. "Don't you think that something is definitely going on if the Grail itself had to put in another faction in this war? Aren't we the ones who were summoned because of how the Black faction had meddled with the system? Why would there be another faction of Servants?"

Atalanta frowned. While all she wanted was to obtain her wish through this war, what he said did make sense.

"You also saw Saber of Red and his Master, right? How come they're the only ones acting separately from us? Wouldn't it be weird for a bunch of mages to actually agree on relying on someone else to give out orders?"

In a reverse vault, Atalanta landed on the roots next to Achilles, just before the medium-sized acorn she had dropped hit him on his head.

"You're making me think too much," she said. "I don't really care who gives me orders or not so long as I have my wish fulfilled. You should be the same."

"Sorry, sis." Rider smiled at her. "It's just that I've always been taught to question everything. You don't become a great hero by simply accepting things as they are."

She couldn't fault him for that logic. After all, even her own wish is much the same.

To change the nature of how things are.

"But anyway," Rider picked up the fallen acorn on the ground, dropping his arm back before throwing it high up into the sky, "I am looking forward to starting this war already. There's bound to be someone that can give me a decent fight with this many Servants around."

"Be careful with what you wish."

Atalanta knew of many heroes who faced their deaths and defeat at their own conceit. She also knew more than a few who would give him more than he could ask for. If any of them were present among the Servants, then it will truly be a labor of effort for them to win.

* * *

"Master, are you sure they're really somewhere here?"

It was afternoon of the second day of searching for Mordred and her Master. So far their search had been fruitless. They've walked through the entirety of three separate towns already with nothing to show for it or even a clue as to the presence of the Blue camp. They've only encountered a lot of surveillance golems and a few mages that had belonged to the Yggdimillenia clan.

Currently, they were strolling through and around their fourth town, which looked far more rural and closer to a village than the ones before. There hadn't even been much of any surveillance around the place aside from a token golem and a single mage that Kairi had disabled easily. He didn't even have to use a curse or anything. The mage had been a complete amateur, getting knocked out with a simple butt to the head with a tire-iron Kairi had taken from their car.

"Should you really be the one complaining here?" Her Master sucked in deeply on his cigarette. They had just finished questioning the local Yggdimillenia mage half an hour ago. "I'm the one whose been getting less sleep here. We didn't even get any useful information from that damn mage. I've even been working on search and detection spells nonstop. So unless you haven't told me that you have a secret ability to help us find Ruler and her Servants, you're pretty much close to useless right now."

It was true. Mordred could see the tired bags underneath his shades.

"Well, sorry for not being a useful Servant like a Caster or Archer," she grumbled.

"Ugh. Sorry." He apologized, rubbing the middle of his brow. "I didn't mean to put you down. I'm just getting a little too grouchy from the lack of sleep."

"It's fine." Mordred knew that, so she didn't fault him for it. "Why don't we get something to eat over by that stall? You haven't eaten anything for lunch yet either. You'll feel better once you've got something in your stomach. I know I would."

"You're really being too simple minded," sighed Kairi. "But you're right. I could do with something to bite."

"Great! I saw some fresh apples over there that looked really good!"

Mordred ran over to the simple fruit stall set up behind one of the houses lining up the street. The vendor minding the store was an old and wrinkly lady hunched up in her seat beside her produce, nodding and smiling at her arrival. Mordred's keen eyes trailed towards one particular red apple that sat at the top of the pile that seemed perfectly ripe and ready to be eaten, flawless in its shape and color. The picture perfect image of an apple that one thought of when eating one.

As soon as she reached out for it, someone else's hand had grabbed a hold of it, stealing it from her hungry sight.

"Hey! That was mine!"

When Mordred saw the thief who had taken her prized morsel, her eyes grew wide. Standing before her was none other than a Servant. A man she would not so easily forget.

"Saber!" Her Master ran up and stayed behind her. He seemed to have recognized the Servant as well.

"You…?!" Mordred tensed up and prepared herself to battle, however, her drive to fight slowly deflated as her gaze went down. "…What the hell are you doing?"

The white-haired Servant was dressed casually and carried on both arms bags full of groceries. Inside were obviously ordinary spices, dairy, meats, and other foodstuffs.

"I'm out doing the grocery," he answered plainly. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"I can see that!" shouted Mordred. She really just failed to understand why he would be doing something so mundane while they were participating in a war. It was just so surprising to her that they've been searching so methodically for them, only to find one shopping around the market like normal.

"It seems you have me at a disadvantage," he sighed, raising up his bags slightly. "Perhaps you'll be able to defeat me, now that I'm weighed down. You should take this chance while you have it."

"As if I could!"

Mordred glowered at his smirk. He knew full well she couldn't just attack him in broad daylight, with a crowded street no less. Already, the bored townsfolk were gathering to watch them after all the shouting she'd done, interested in what probably would be the highlight of their day. If not for those reasons, oh, how she would have loved to impale her sword through that smug face of his.

Out of all the Servants of Blue it really had to be him, Mordred thought as she grinded her teeth. She wasn't quite sure who she would have preferred to meet. Him or her father.

"Well, if you are quite done," he said, "I should really be going. I need to start on marinating."

"Wait!" shouted her Master. He approached him with a wary eye. "I need to speak with your Master. It's something important that she'd like to hear."

The white-haired Servant raised an eyebrow, looking at the necromancer curiously, then switching his gaze towards his Servant. Mordred had to practically bite into her tongue to stop herself from saying anything unnecessary that would jeopardize their objective. It didn't stop her from glaring absolute death at him, though.

"So it appears," he sighed after appearing satisfied that they were telling the truth. "But this isn't the place for that kind of discussion. You'll have to follow me then, I guess?"

"To your home base?" Kairi frowned.

He was right to hesitate. They would be stepping into enemy territory alone and surrounded by enemy Servants. It was practically suicide for them should things go in the wrong direction.

"If you really want to have this talk with my Master," shrugged the dark-skinned man. He grinned viciously at them. "It will prove that you are sincere in your intentions. I know it would sure put my mind at ease that you don't have any other ulterior motives against her."

"Fine, you bastard!" Mordred replied. "We'll do as you say! We're not cowards like you are!"

Her Master didn't appear to be pleased at her agreeing to it, but he didn't back out either. This was the quickest way for them to meet with Ruler.

"And give me back my apple!" she demanded.

"Did you pay for it?"

She didn't. But he hadn't—

The Servant dropped change on the stand next to the old lady.

As they followed behind him, Mordred fumed and fantasized of all the ways she would cut him apart if things did go wrong. If they were going to die, she would make absolutely sure that he would be the first one she would take down with her. This she vowed on her life.

Her fury and hunger will not go unquenched.

* * *

Ruler waited patiently as the man seated across the table ate his meal heartily. The necromancer and Master had introduced himself as Kairi Sisigou. Standing behind him in full armor was his Servant, known to be the strongest class in the war, Saber. Though they had both been offered meals, Saber of Red remained vigilant and turned it down.

She was surprised to hear of their intentions to speak with her from Archer. Apparently, they had been searching for them for a reason other than combat. It was not uncommon for opposing Masters to seek one another without violence. There could be any number of reasons for it. A common one is a temporary truce to face a more troublesome opponent.

"So, what is it that you wish to speak of that you came all this way?" she asked.

The mage didn't seem to hear her as he continued to eating and savoring the meal in front of him like there was no tomorrow. Ruler felt rather awkward. He didn't quite fit the mold of what a mage would be like. Most were a little more prideful than this.

"Show some restraint, for crying out loud!" Saber of Red had no problems smacking some sense back into her Master, slapping the back of his head. It was hard to tell from the voice coming from underneath the helmet, but Archer had alluded to Ruler that the one underneath was a girl.

"Ow! The heck?"

"I know you haven't eaten all day and all, but don't go losing yourself and forgetting what we're here for," chided his Servant.

"Uh, sorry…" The necromancer lowered his head to her, appearing to be much more attentive now. "It's just that I haven't had much to eat these past few days and this food is… really just amazing. I guess that guy wasn't kidding when he said he'd try to floor me with his cooking."

No doubt he spoke of Archer. Ruler could understand. The man was a veritable iron chef capable of feeding the ravenous appetite of all the Servants in the mansion with sumptuous meals three times a day with no problems whatsoever.

After wiping his mouth, the necromancer appeared ready to talk.

"We came here with an offer of an alliance between our two camps," he said seriously.

That was a very interesting offer indeed. Though Ruler didn't entirely approve of it morally as someone who'd originally been appointed to be an impartial Servant in the war, it was a logical plan that would ensure that their two sides would take the least damage. Although, the outcome would mean that both sides would potentially come out all the better against each other, with information about one another that could be intentionally or unintentionally be found out. However, that would also mean that both sides would have a more secure route towards victory than the one singled out.

In this case, the Black faction.

It was a proposition that she could not decide on lightly.

"…And if we were to refuse?" she asked. An unspoken answer would be of the possibility they offer it to the opposing faction, which would mean they would be the one to be targeted by both of them.

"That would be that," Kairi replied. "I'd like to let you believe that we'll go to the other side hoping to offer them the same thing, but that's not likely going to happen. You probably don't know this, but the Red faction was formed with the main purpose of stopping and destroying the Yggdimillenia clan. So even if you do turn us down, you can be sure that we won't be allying together to take your faction down."

"That's… actually reassuring to know." Ruler didn't think he would actually be this honest with her.

"So you've got no reason to, uh, stop us from leaving here peacefully, you know?"

Ruler could tell even through his sunglasses that the mage was cautiously looking at the two Servants that stayed on guard at her sides. Both Lancer and Assassin were dressed in their full gear keeping a close eye on their guests. While Saber, Rider and Caster were not present, there was still Archer in the kitchen and Berserker waiting patiently in the gardens. They were more than enough to handle a single Servant and her Master.

"I would never allow violence against acts of diplomacy," she stated truthfully. In her time and country, they strictly believed in the sanctity of diplomatic meetings. She would never even consider killing them for being the messenger, not even if it would cost them victory.

"Oh, thank God for that." The necromancer relaxed in his seat, taking another bite from his plate quickly. It appeared the mage had been ready to face them even against the odds. "Since we've got that important bit cleared, which is me and my Servant's safety, I have to mention that I'm not really the one that has the final say on whether or not we work together. You'll have to meet up with our priest for that."

"A priest?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "He's the one currently managing the other Servants of Red and their Masters."

"Isn't the church supposed to be supervising the war?" Ruler asked with a frown.

"I don't really find that surprising at all," snorted Lancer behind her.

Kairi shrugged. "What can I say? This war is really messed up. From what I know, our faction is backed by The Church and The Mage Association. Maybe if we were the only one's left standing, he might back off and return to being a neutral player on the field."

"I doubt it," said Lancer.

Based on not only his story but with the other Servants as well, Ruler knew just how twisted and terrible the priest who had presided over their Holy Grail War had been.

"Whatever your thoughts about the clergy are, it doesn't change the fact that you'll have to meet with him if we are going to have this alliance," said Kairi. "All the other Masters aside from myself are cooperating with him closely. Most likely after I contact him he'll be asking to meet with you personally on neutral ground. Given your similar faith, I'd think you would have an easier time getting along with him, wouldn't you say?"

That isn't always the case. Each and every person, even among the same faith, can interpret what they see and hear differently. Those who have strayed far from the right path that still truly believe are labeled as zealots. Their faith is no less than the most pious, but it is twisted and corrupt without even them knowing. The problem there is that it is not so easy to differentiate them.

"Could you give me some time to process this?" said Ruler.

* * *

Mordred took a walk away from the mansion. She had left her Master all alone to wait for Ruler's decision. Normally she wouldn't leave his side under the company of enemy Servants, however, she wanted him to sweat a little for having the gall to eat while she herself had to just stand by and watch. She could still remember the aromatic smell of the dishes so vividly. If he really was her Master then he should have passed on the meal same as she had.

No matter how good and enticing the food was.

Anyway, after meeting Ruler face to face, Mordred understood her to be the kind of honest and just character like her father was. She wouldn't allow any harm to come to him while he was under their hospitality, even if she wasn't there.

Mordred's wandering soon led her to a small glade. The fading light of the sun colored the grassy field in amber. She stood atop the only stone near the center of the glade, watching the sun slowly fall in the horizon. The place made her feel nostalgic of a certain dream she'd always had.

Suddenly, Mordred raised her hand up to intercept the projectile that was launched at her head. She looked at the object she had caught in her hand.

It was an apple. The same apple that she had had her eye on earlier.

"You sure are stubborn."

Appearing in the field was Archer, who still wore his casual black attire and a look of mild irritation. When he'd told them his class on the way there, she had been a little doubtful of it. There were no heroes that she knew of that wielded dual blades as he had. It only added to her mistrust of him.

"And here I thought you would at least try a bite or two of some of the food I made," he sighed.

"Who'd wanna eat something a scheming fox like you made?"

"Your father seemed to like it a lot."

Mordred grimaced at the mention of her.

With a small hiss and soft clank, her helmet sunk down into her armor, revealing her face and allowing the Servant in front of her a clear view of it. There was no hint of surprise at all coming from him.

"So, you really do know who I am," she said. "Why didn't you tell them?"

Based on the initial reactions she'd gotten from Ruler and the other Servants when they saw her appearance in full armor, she was sure that they had not yet identified her. And if he had told them, she had no doubt in her mind that her father would have been there as well.

"You want me to?"

Mordred clicked her tongue in annoyance. He was trying to mess with her head again. Trying to make her think about things she'd rather not think about at the moment.

"The reason you brought us so easily here was because you knew my father wouldn't be here."

Archer crossed his arms and did not look away. "That's right. She's out with Caster monitoring the Black faction."

Every step she took this place had threatened to crumble her resolve as the looming thought of seeing King of Knights. Her hands had shaken and her heart had raced in anticipation for it. She didn't know if she was mad at not being able to see her, or relieved that she hadn't.

She fell back and sat on the stone she had stood on.

"…Can you tell me if she's doing okay at least?"

Archer was silent for a moment, scrutinizing her. After all the roller-coaster ride of emotions she'd felt earlier, she didn't have much anything else to show right now. She couldn't even bring herself to feel frustrated as she should have. Right now, that was just all she wanted to know.

"She's… strong of will," said Archer finally. "Courageous and determined, she's sworn to protect our Master until the end of this war. A proud warrior worthy of the title of a hero."

"So, same as ever." Mordred felt glad but also pity.

"Probably not the same as you remember."

Mordred looked up to see Archer leaving. "What do you mean by that?"

"If this whole alliance thing works out, then maybe you'll find out," said Archer without looking back. "I'll be sure to let you have a taste of what you were missing out on as well. Look forward to it."

If he said that, then that meant he probably wasn't going to stop her from meeting her father anymore.

Somehow, Mordred had thought that there was less coldness to his voice now. He also seemed to care about his father at least in some way.

Maybe he wasn't really as bad as she thought he was?

"…Huh? Why is there a bite on this?!"

She proceeded to shout and curse wildly at Archer's direction. She must have been crazy to think that he might actually had been a decent guy.


	5. Chapter 5

Berserker of Black hummed quietly to herself. Mimicking the sound coming from the speakers next to her Master's monitor. On the screen, the magnificent generators of a dam rotated and hummed as it created electricity from the force of nature. The usually annoying drone of the machinery seemed to soothe the docile Berserker.

"Are you still watching that?"

Her Master came into the room and sighed. He carried with him several folders that contained files on the mages that the Clocktower had sent to the war. He'd been pretty busy as of late, leaving Berserker to her own devices. There wasn't much she could do until she was given orders, so Caules had introduced her to some educational videos on machinery on his computer.

Her interest in them had slightly surprised Caules, given that he thought being a Berserker-class Servant, she would have less interest in learning.

Berserk grunted in a pout, making her displeasure known to him. It's not like she had any other things to do. Guarding the castle was an important task, but with all seven Black Servants present, it was unlikely that an attack would go without notice. And unlike the other Servants, Berserker had limited capacity or ability outside of direct combat due to her class.

Caules strained a smile at her. The mage knew full well that his Servant felt frustrated by her lack of activity as well. With the exception of Caster and Chiron, all the other Servants were free to idle unless they were needed to help in some simple tasks. All the other Masters in their group were busily preparing in their own workshops.

Caster and his Master had been locked up in their workshop almost every single day producing more and more golems for the war. With no activity coming from the other factions, they had been tasked to further increase the size of their growing army. It's gotten to a point that Caules had begun to wonder if the castle would soon be flooded by golems soon if they were not used. The resources they burned through to create them were nothing to sneeze at either. His sister had been kept busy trying to procure more materials for the golem makers in addition to other tasks assigned to her.

"I'm going to the kitchen for a bit," he said to Berserker after dropping the folders on his study. "Do you want anything?"

Berserker shook her head as she continued to watch whirring motors of a jet engine.

Caules didn't need to go himself to the kitchen. He could have just ordered one of the many servant homonculi to deliver it to his room, but he usually used the walk there to clear up his thoughts. It was a simple act that he'd been doing from a young age whenever he was thinking or studying too much.

Caules arrived in the kitchen, only to find that he wasn't the only Master there. Reika Rikudou stood by the stove and her Servant sat by the kitchen table. The homonculi kitchen staff were waiting patiently at the side wall.

Assassin of Black's Master appeared to be cooking the child Servant a meal.

Reika noticed Caules standing by the doorway. She smiled at him.

"Would you like to join us for a meal?" she asked politely. "I made a tad bit too much for just the two of us. It would help if we had a boy like you to finish it all up so it doesn't go to waste."

"Oh, sure." Caules nodded and took a seat opposite Assassin.

Caules looked apprehensively at the alluring young woman as she hummed as she cooked. He thought she was beautiful. It was surprising to him that she seemed to have adapted well to having been kidnapped and all but forced into fighting in the war with them. If it was him, he wasn't sure he could act so calmly.

Then he remembered that this woman was in control of Jack the Ripper. All the people that the Servant had killed from Japan to Wallachia was no small amount. Yet she still appeared unfazed in the least right now.

"What are you making?" he asked.

"Hamburg steak!" eagerly answered Jack. The Servant watched her Master with anticipation as she held up utensils in front of her empty plate. "Mother is making us hamburg steak!"

"I hope it's to your liking," said Reika. She transferred the food to a large serving plate and moved to the table. She gave one piece to Jack, one for Caules, and another for herself.

It was basically a fatter burger with steak sauce from what Caules thought at first glance. Darker and sort of more roundish than a regular patty on a burger. It smelled appetizing enough.

"…It's good," he murmured in surprise after taking a bite. The inside was moist and brimming with flavor, with the sauce over it serving to enhance the overall taste rather than drowning it.

"It's the best!" nodded Jack happily, some of the sauce was on her cheeks.

Reika took a napkin and wiped the little girl's mouth. Her gaze and actions were filled with motherly affection.

Caules couldn't help but remember the file they gave about her. From what information they had gathered, the woman was a prostitute from Japan. It wasn't hard to piece together how someone like her had gotten involved when they considered the personality of the Yggdmillenia clansman that had gone there to perform the summoning ritual.

Her record and history had told of an abusive childhood growing up with no actual family. Finally adopted at a late age, Reika had suffered from repeated abuse from her adoptive family. Once she was old enough, the young woman left them and struggled to survive, falling prey to a disreputable organization that pretended to be an upstanding agency.

It was a depressing story. Sadly, it wasn't an uncommon one among many young women around the world.

"Miss Rikudou—,"

"Reika is fine," she replied smilingly.

"Uh, yeah…" She seemed normal enough. "Miss Reika, aren't you scared?"

The attractive woman looked at him blankly.

"I guess I've grown used to it," she answered sadly. "Even if I said that I don't want to, your clan won't let me go so easily, won't they?"

"That's…" Caules couldn't deny it. There was no chance that they would. Even if he spoke in favor of it, he could understand clearly enough that no one else would. His sister may side with him morally on the subject, but she wouldn't go against the will of the clan.

"There's nothing I can do but accept it. Same as I've always accepted my fate in life."

That wasn't fair. She started with basically nothing and would still end with nothing.

Reika picked up Jack and sat her on her lap, hugging the little girl Servant and rubbing her cheek against hers.

"But I am thankful for having met Jack," she said happily.

"I see." Caules saw the innocent smile Assassin gave her Master. Someone so unfortunate and unloved is treasured and adored by a mass murderer. It was a… difficult matter to think about.

Caules stood from his seat, bidding her goodbye. Getting close to her was a mistake.

"Mister clan mage," called Reika, stopping Caules at the doorway to turn to her. "Your a lot kinder than most mages, aren't you? You and your sister. I think I would have liked it better if you weren't. You shouldn't pity a woman like me."

Caules adjusted his glasses, noting the small gleam of fickle madness in her eyes.

No matter how sorrowful or tragic the woman's life is, it doesn't change the fact that she'd been complicit with the murders that Assassin had done since she had been summoned.

"Thank you for the advice," he said. "I'll be sure to remember that."

There was a small clarity in his mind after he'd left the kitchen. He had wondered how an ordinary sane woman could be thrust into their world and accept it all so easily.

The answer was simple: She wasn't completely sane at all.

* * *

"Please check on the reserve stockpiles. We may need to dip into them soon if we are unable to procure more supplies from our contacts outside the country. With the Mage Association cutting off most of our old vendors, we have to rely on independent contractors who will risk doing business with us."

The homonculus nodded, taking the work order and leaving the room.

Fiore gave a tired sigh.

"I think you're working too hard."

Fiore looked up to see Chiron smiling and holding a tray with a warm drink on it.

"It's nothing," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm just making adjustments to the resupply schedules, checking on the reports from our branch members, having additional measures added to the defensive spells and traps on the east side, and maki—"

"Those don't sound like nothing," interrupted her Servant. "Take a break and drink this for now. It won't help our cause if you're not in top shape should an unexpected occurrence appear."

Fiore nodded lightly and accepted the drink.

"Chamomile?"

"It is. I added a few other herbs that should help with your metabolism but won't disturb its taste."

The warm tea was refreshing, flushing away the fatigue that Fiore had built up over the day. There was a slight sweetness to it that made it all the more enjoyable to drink.

"Thank you, Chiron."

"Think nothing of it," said the famous archer.

Fiore was glad to have him as her Servant. He was a kind and gentle man that had taught many heroes in his time. He was also knowledgeable and wise, which was why he had been appointed as their strategist for the war. With him at her side, she felt at ease and safe.

Fiore slowly lowered and rested the cup on her legs. She could not feel the warmth from it. Her legs had been crippled since birth due to a malfunction in her magic circuits. The only cure for this had been to give up her magic circuits, however, the future of her family rested on her so it was an option that her parents had never even considered for a moment. Though crippled, her talent as a mage far surpassed that of her family and even those outside of it. Even the elder of the Yggdmillenia clan acknowledged her as the sole mage worthy of inheriting the role to lead the clan. She thought that she had long ago lost any hope of walking on her own two feet.

But now?

A comforting hand rested on her shoulder. Fiore gazed up at her Servant's encouraging smile.

"We will win this," he said. "As long as I live, I will stay by your side and make sure of it."

A spark of hope had ignited in her heart. For all their tireless plan and work, the purpose of their clan was to reach the Akashic Records. No matter the sacrifices they made in this war, should they win, the sole wish of their side will be for that purpose and nothing else. But now that Ruler had announced that the Greater Grail will grant three wishes, she couldn't help but feel hope for herself.

"Is it wrong…?" she asked. "To think of using the Grail for something so selfish?"

A device that could grant the impossible. It could end all wars. End all hunger. End all suffering. The world could know peace.

Was it truly right to use it for something so small as herself?

"Is that not the very nature of a wish?" said Chiron. "No matter should you use the wish on yourself or for others, the one making it must have the desire born with it. To save those he wishes to save and those that do not wish to be, they may be heroes or saviors, but they would still have acted on their own selfish reason. Even my own wish is no greater than yours."

Fiore stared at Archer. He had told her of his wish. His wish to regain the immortality that he had cast away. A gift from his parents that he had to relinquish.

"Even though I am hero that had taught many others," he continued, "My only wish is for that. Wouldn't you say that I am far more selfish than you for wishing for such a thing?"

"N-No!" Fiore denied immediately. "You've done so much and saved so many others, how can it possibly be wrong for you to wish for yourself?"

"It is because I know the value of saving others that makes my desire all the more selfish. I have no doubt that there are heroes among the Servants that have such an admirable goal of offering their wish for the benefit of others. To the people they cared for. To the family they loved. To the peace of the world." Archer gazed to the far off night sky through the open window. "For me who had taught such heroes, how small and petty is my wish compared to theirs?"

"That's not true!" Fiore cried. "It's not wrong! It's not wrong to want something for yourself!"

Fiore had thought that their circumstances were different. He was a hero that had been recognized in history. Someone worthy and deserving of having his wish granted. But now she understood that they were much the same.

Archer smiled at her. He took a napkin out and gently rubbed away her tears.

"We chase our dreams and see those of others," he said. "Life is not fair nor is it equal. Honest and good people have died for nothing and horrible and evil ones have thrived off the lives of others. Yet we still continue to cling on to hope and strive for the best that the world can offer. To live for others is not wrong. To live for yourself isn't either. Make your wish and make the best of it. As I shall do the same with mine."

Fiore nodded, hugging her Servant and burying her still crying face in his chest.

There was no easy answer that Chiron could have given her. It is not wrong for a person to want. For if a hero was someone that only lived to save others, then he would be no better than a slave to every single life that suffers, chained to them till the end of his life. Even heroes chose those that they saved.

A soft knock on the door came.

"Yes?" Fiore had dried her tears already, assuming her normal disposition as the reliable head of her household.

In came Rider of Black, his head peeking out of the door at a side angle, seeing them then smiling and waving. He hopped inside the room.

"Hi there!" he said with cheer. "I'm here to pick you up, Chiron. Time for us to go!"

"Have a safe trip." Fiore waved goodbye to the Servants as they left, Chiron giving her a glance and a nod before closing the door behind him.

Fiore clapped her cheeks, psyching herself up. She had enough of being down. It was time to get back to her work.

* * *

It was late at night. The city of Trifas was quiet and still. Though many of its street lamps and lights were on, not a single soul of its people could be found on its streets. It has been that way ever the fortress lights overlooking the city had turned on.

For the citizens of this city, though they could never truly know it, they have long understood that they were under the domain of those that lived in that castle. The number of strange rumors are many. From walking statues to ghosts that dwell within the walls. It has been an iron-clad rule for the citizens of Trifas to be in the safety of their homes come the darkness of the night. The Yggdmillenia clan had long established this since the Middle Ages. Many of the buildings and roads are even preserved from that time, with people fearing that too great a change could incite their secret rulers to push their wrath upon them.

From the top of a hillside overlooking the city, Saber looked on this view with nostalgia. Her city had once been like that. It was a little smaller in size, but very similar nonetheless. She would look down from her castle balcony to see the proud and joyous faces of her subjects as they went about their work and lives in peace under her rule.

Regret filled her heart.

The last she had seen of it was from a distance through the fire and cries of war from the tallest hill of Camlann. She did not know what had happened to it at her supposed death. Only that she had failed her subjects that lived in it.

Anguish.

How many of her people had to experience it because of her inadequacy? Many of her own knights had felt it. Lancelot, one of her most loyal knight, had succumbed to despair and madness, allowing him to be summoned as a Berserker that fought against her in the Fourth Holy Grail War.

Saber could still remember their terse battle from then so vividly. She had struck him down, with the perfect knight unable to even form words of hatred as his Madness Enhancement had robbed him of his speech. No amount of apology could ever be enough for her to give.

If only she had never been king…

But no. She could not think that way. Shirou had shown her that changing the past was a mistake. It was a disservice and a betrayal to those who had believed in her. Even if she herself did not.

Her heart ached with sorrow. But at least it was no longer just hers to bear.

"You've changed."

Saber broke from her complex thoughts and the sight of the quiet city. Behind her, Caster held both her hands up towards Trifas, strange ethereal purple strings shifting and hazily connecting to her fingers. The Servant was conducting a deep and, hopefully, inconspicuous reconnaissance of the enemy territory while Saber was there to guard her.

"What do you mean, Caster?"

It wasn't as if Saber knew the Servant all that well. They only spoke a short time in their encounter in her war before it had been cut short by the King of Heroes. It seemed that she and Caster had met in very different circumstances in her own experience.

"There is something different about you…"

Saber could feel her gaze peeking out from underneath her cowl.

"King Arthur," said Caster. "To think the famous King of Camelot was someone like you. I never would have guessed that."

"Is it so hard to believe that a woman became king?" Saber had been forced to hide her gender ever since she'd taken out the Sword of Choosing. It was a necessary sacrifice for her people.

"Human history is full of deception," laughed Caster. "It is no surprise to me that such a thing can happen. But still, it's unfortunate that they would make a lovely girl like yourself dress and act as a man. It really is a shame. Armor does not suit you. And you looked so beautiful in that pure white wedding dress."

Saber scowled at her. While she did not detect malice coming from the Servant, Saber had always felt her gaze at her to be somewhat unpleasant. As if the woman kept undressing her with her eyes. She could not think of a positive situation in which she, the King of Knights, would end up being seen in such a dress by someone like her.

"Ah, is it because of that?" Caster dropped her hands, stopping what she had been doing and putting a finger on her cheek in thought. "My, my, could that be it? In different circumstances, with such fierce loyalty, it's possible that might have happened?"

"Caster?"

The cowled Servant approached her, a devious smile on her lips. "A slender physique, golden hair, and green eyes… A white dress certainly suited you. Oh, how I wanted you to become mine. But I can see that you've been taken."

"I… don't know what you mean," said Saber uneasily.

"Don't pretend." Caster stepped behind her, closely whispering, "Oh to have the virgin King of Knights, that splendor and iron-will of yours had charmed me. But even the you right now is beautiful. I can't mistake that sort of glow. You've given your heart, have you not, my dear Saber?"

Saber broke from her, glaring. "This isn't the time for idle chatter, Caster. We should get back to work."

"I bet it's that boy."

Saber felt her heart shake.

"See, I was right," Caster smiled triumphantly. "That Master of yours was a strange one, too. A very… unique specimen even among mages. I invited him to join me as well. It was unfortunate that he turned me down. If it was him, I doubt he would have betrayed me so easily like that annoying Archer. I would have had the both of you."

If it was as her allies or toys, Saber couldn't make Caster's distinction of them. Shirou would never ally with anyone that hurt the innocent. Just as she would be against it.

"Quiet," ordered Saber.

"As if I would," laughed Caster. "This is far too entertaining. I suppose even if you are the King of Camelot, you are still a woman after all. A king that has fallen in lo—!

Caster had turned around just in time to see Saber rush at her. The Servant was momentarily stunned as she didn't think that any sort of provocation she made would make the noble king attack an opponent from behind and unprepared. Her thought of the absurdity of such a thing occurring was dispelled the moment Saber used her invisible sword to deflect an arrow that had been aimed at her head.

"The enemy is here!" shouted Saber. In that moment, she had to deflect another volley of arrows.

They both scanned the skies in the direction where the attacks came from. There they were high up in the air, flying on a winged creature. It was Archer and Rider of Black.

The Servants of Black were too far, thought Saber. Were they simply trying to drive them away? Caster may have died had she not been there, but now that both of them are aware of their position, it was unlikely for them to beat her at such a distance. Her instincts were saying that there was something more to this.

Saber turned her blade quickly towards Caster, deflecting the knives that had appeared out of thin air next to them. On Saber's back she felt a slight weight on it.

"Let's play," whispered Assassin of Black in her ear.

The moment Saber turned around she vanished. She didn't have time to discern her location because Archer of Black continually fired at her and Caster. From the sky arrows rained on them, while from the shadows on the ground knives assailed them. They wouldn't do much damage against Saber, but Caster certainly wouldn't be able to take them directly.

"I've had enough of this." From behind Saber's guard, Caster materialized and slammed down the end of her staff to the ground. A slight purple haze enveloped them in a circle from the point of it. Rapidly, it spread outward into a dome that covered them fifty feet wide in all direction.

The arrows and knives inside of its area of effect slowed down to a crawl, allowing them to finally breathe. It was a kind of time manipulated bounded field. It was able to affect the projectiles and other matter, but it did little against Servants.

"Why don't I drag you out from where you're hiding, Assassin of Black!"

Caster raised her staff high. Above them her spell circles manifested in the air, facing down at them. The dozens of circles spat forth beams of light all around them, striking and blasting their surroundings, peppering the greenery of the hill into craters and torn earth.

After the blasts subsided, the figure of Assassin of Black appeared, slightly singed and frowning at them.

"There you are!" Caster aimed another spell beam at the Servant. She laughed triumphantly after her spell exploded into a raging pillar of fire on impact.

However, her laughter soon faded as the blistering smoke cleared. Standing in defense of his comrade was a proud warrior with silver hair stood holding a shining greatsword. The tall Servant's aura and weapon of choice made it clear of what class he could only be.

Saber of Black had joined the battle.

"Will you be able to fend for yourself?" Saber quietly asked Caster behind her. Immediately she understood that the greatest threat was that stoic man in front of them.

Caster paused, then smirked. "Go. I'm sure I can manage without you shielding me in this entire battle."

The King of Knights nodded. As she breathed, mana gathered and strengthened her body. She pressed her foot down and the ground cracked. In a single step she covered the distance between her and the enemy Saber. Their blades clashed and rang loudly, the pressure from the impact could be felt for miles.

"I greet you, Saber of Black," said Artoria.

* * *

Siegfried felt his heart light. So far since he'd been summoned as a Servant in the Great Holy Grail War, he hadn't given much thought to his participation in it. There had only been emptiness at the promise of a wish granted for the victors. For his wish had long been muddled to him. Right now, though, there was no such confusion.

He turned his blade downward at his opponent, who easily blocked it with that invisible weapon of hers. She was smaller than him. Delicate and soft in her appearance. But the eyes that stared at him were those of a noble and proud knight. A strong warrior that stood equal with the best.

After his sword hit the ground, he quickly brought it into an upwards slash that sliced through the ground with a boom. His enemy dodged it and countered with two powerful swings that shook his hands after he raised his sword to meet them.

In mere moments, the two of them had clashed and thrown themselves at one another in a blistering display of force.

In this duel between honorable knights, he could only think clearly of wanting to defeat her.

It was only regrettable that they could not introduce themselves properly before they began. Their identities tied to their legends and weaknesses, it was not possible for them to do so.

Her strikes were strong. Even with his Armor of Fafnir protecting him, he still received minor injuries and scratches here and there from their battle. Her sword skill and combat ability was in no way inferior to his.

Still, it wouldn't be enough.

Siegfried tightened his hold on his sword. He swung wide. His opponent blocked it for a moment, but the strength behind it was strong. She had to settle with angling her weapon so it did not overwhelm her.

Siegfried could feel a familiar tingle of blood present in Saber of Blue. His skill as a Dragon Slayer emboldened and strengthened him. She carried the blood of dragons in her veins, and thus, weakened her against him. He knew that she should have felt it as well. Someone like her would have understood that after their exchange just now.

But that hadn't slowed her down at all.

Siegfried shielded the left side of his head with his sword. She'd retaliated with no hesitation. He could see the small gusts of air that covered and hid the invisible sword. He could tell what weapon it was. After all, he had felt it against his armored skin. Any singular attacks of her sword would have been enough to mortally wound most other Servants, but it was greatly diminished against him, especially when his advantages acted in tandem to suppress the damage.

"She's no match for you! It's just a matter of time, and then, the others can help you defeat her!" his Master practically shouted at him in his head.

From the corner of his eyes he could see the Blue faction's Caster's images all over the battlefield. The Servant was trying to cope against Assassin of Black by pushing out illusions of herself everywhere, firing her spells without pause all over. She wouldn't be able to keep it up though once Rider arrived with Archer of Black. After defeating her, they would then focus on his opponent.

Such a way would taint the outcome of his battle. Four against two. It was completely in their favor. He, however, being a Servant of Black, could not go against the order given to him. He had desired a fair fight.

Rider of Black's hippogriff landed behind him. Together both he and Chiron approached. However, before they could reach them a torrent of blazing fire as bright as the sun came between them. The ground it touched melted into magma at the heat of the fiery flames.

Hovering above them, a Servant was cloaked in flames, watching them.

"Lancer of Red?!" Siegfried didn't fail to recognize him from their previous encounter. That seemingly divine and striking presence was unmistakable.

Even though Ruler's arrival and declaration had prevented them from fighting, he knew that the Servant was strong.

Lancer of Red looked towards him. He pointed his weapon at him, and fire ignited from its tip. Siegfried endured the overwhelming torrential flames that spewed forth. As the fire died down, Lancer of Red appeared in front of him. The Servant thrusted his spear at him. After blocking a quick series of blows, Lancer of Red kicked him in his midsection that threw him at a distance.

"You would interrupt a duel between knights?!" protested Saber of Blue.

"While it is not my intention on doing so, I follow the orders of my Master," stated Lancer of Red, looking blankly at her. "Shameful as it is, I can only offer my sincere apologies for disturbing your honorable combat."

Siegfried glared at the pale Servant. It might be time for him to unleash his Noble Phantasm. However, Archer of Black's voice sounded in his head.

"Retreat," said Archer of Black. "There are other Servants approaching. We must head back to the fortress and prepare to defend."

Reluctantly, Siegfried lowered his sword. He stared at both Saber of Blue and Lancer of Red.

"…Until next our weapons meet."

With that said, he left alongside his comrades. No one gave chase to them.

* * *

The presence of the Servants of Black gradually faded to the distance. No doubt they had returned to their heavily defended fortress. It would be difficult for even the strongest of Servants to take them on, entrenched as they are.

"Lancer of Red…"

Facing Karna was the cautious Saber-class Servant of the faction of Blue, along with her comrade who appeared behind her after Assassin of Black had left. For the moment, it was only him and the two of them. Archer and Rider of Red had already informed him that they were on the way.

"I bring a message from the Masters of my side," he said bluntly, ignoring their hostile stares. "They request a meeting to form an alliance. Relay that information to Ruler."

"An alliance…?" said Saber of Blue in surprise.

"That is correct."

As the priest had explained to them, their Masters had decided that forming an alliance with Ruler's faction would allow them to wipe out the Servants of Black much faster. Since the Yggdmillenia clan that controlled the Servants of Black were responsible for the abnormality with the Grail War, cooperating to destroy them as soon as possible would be the best choice of action.

At least that was what the suspicious priest had said.

Frankly, as much as Karna stood by his principle of following the rules of being a Servant, he was beginning to harbor doubts of his Master's orders having been relayed through that priest.

"So you are not here to attack us?"

"No," he answered. "I am merely following my orders."

"Become allies?" Caster of Blue's tone seemed to be filled with distaste. She stepped beside Saber, holding a hand to her fellow Servant's shoulder. "I see. It would make sense, objectively speaking. We shall pass on your message. However, I will leave your approaching comrade with a parting gift before we go."

Both women dissipated suddenly. Karna searched for their presence, only to find that they reappeared high above him. He could feel that build up of a surge of mana, and then a multitude of purple spell circles appeared near them.

Purple beams of light lanced forward, not towards him, but at someplace farther back. It was aimed at his approaching comrades. Her spells bombarded and blasted a wide area.

"Farewell, Lancer of Red." Caster dismissed her spells after firing a good amount of them. "Tell Archer of Red that I was only simply giving her a small greeting. It is my hope that she does not die easily."

Again, they dissipated. This time, he could no longer detect their presence anywhere close by.

Karna was momentarily stunned by that hostile display after he'd just told them of their side's intention of an alliance. He could not, however, retaliate against them. They had been ordered to avoid friction between them until after their Masters have met.

"What the hell was that for?!"

Complaining loudly as he appeared covered in dirt was Rider of Red. The usually boisterous Servant growled, with Archer of Red following behind him.

As Karna had suspected, both of them were fine.

"Was that Caster of Blue?!" he asked. "You did tell them that our Masters wanted to form an alliance, right?"

"I did," said Karna.

"Then why the hell did they attack us for?! Sis might've gotten hurt from that if I hadn't took the brunt of those spells of hers!"

"I suppose even the other factions have their own troublesome Servants like our Berserker," said Archer of Red as she lightly dusted herself off.

Karna remembered the words left to him. "…She spoke of it as her greeting you."

"What?" Atalanta looked at him incredulously.

"Yes," he nodded.

Atalanta was silent as her face looked to be contemplating.

"Someone you know, sis?" asked Rider.

"I'm… not sure. Maybe if I had a good look at her, I could guess more easily who it is."

"Whatever the case may be, we have fulfilled our order," said Karna.

He turned around and left them, heading to return to their base. There was nothing else for him there, and he had his own reasons for wanting to leave. He had his own speculations to ponder.


	6. Chapter 6

Kairi Sisigou had been relaxing on the rooftop couch of the small inn they were staying at. They were in the middle of a quaint little town somewhere between Trifas and Bucharest. More specifically, it was the neutral location that had been decided by the Red faction and Blue faction as their meeting place in setting up their alliance with one another.

The necromancer had just lit a cigarette for himself when an unexpected visitor had arrived.

"Lancer of Red?" he said, quickly stamping out his cigarette. "What are you doing here?"

The Servant with a sharp gaze nodded in greeting.

"I have not come with ill intentions," he said as his gaze drifted to an empty spot besides Kairi. Saber of Red materialized into view in her full regalia, clearly eyeing him with suspicion.

Kairi frowned. The meeting wasn't in a few more hours. He'd been hoping he could have gotten some more time to relax before that.

"So?" he asked. "Does that priest want something again? I already told him that we'll be close by just in case something were to go wrong. If he needs something done, couldn't he ask any of the other Masters to do it for him?"

"I've come of my own accord."

The necromancer raised an eyebrow. That meant that the priest or his Master didn't send him. That was unusual. But then again, so has everything else been so far.

"Tell me, what do you know of the other Masters of Red aside from that priest?" asked Lancer of Red.

Kairi rubbed his chin in thought as he remembered the files of his fellow mages that the Clocktower had given him. They were mages of various backgrounds. Most were freelance mages like him. He'd even worked with and against some of them. One of the few things they had in common was that every single one was a capable and experienced mage. Some of the best that the Clocktower could afford.

Neither Lancer of Red's gaze nor his expression changed as he waited for an answer.

"…I suppose you could say I'm more than familiar with a few of them?"

Now that he thought about them again, there seemed to be something strange about it. While all of them were professionals in their line of work, some of them weren't really the type that worked well with others. Mages by nature were a secretive lot. The skilled and talented ones even more so. It was odd that all of them actually agreed on cooperating so closely together.

"Why do you ask?" said Kairi. "You should know more about them than I do. Your Master in particular isn't the kind to shy away from criticizing freelancers like me."

"I know nothing about them. That is because I've never seen them."

The necromancer was wide-eyed at the statement.

"That includes my own Master," he added. "From when I had first been summoned and up to now, I have never laid eyes on any of the other Masters besides you and that priest. As far as I know, it is the same for the other Servants of Red. All of our orders so far have been relayed through that priest."

Kairi stared at the Servant, hoping to see any signs of deceit from him. However, from that steady and unflinching gaze of his, the necromancer could find no falsehood at all. He actually thought that the Servant was most likely one of those heroes that were incapable of lying.

It was hard to believe.

Kairi felt the pit of his stomach run cold when he remembered the first time he had met that priest. If Lancer of Red was telling him the truth, then it was possible that Saber could have ended up in the same situation as them back then.

"They don't know you're here, right?" he asked tensely.

"We've been ordered to make sure that this area is safe before the meeting later," said Lancer of Red. "It wouldn't be strange for me to be here, given those orders."

"You should go, then. If you stay here any longer than this, they might get suspicious. We'll see what we can find out on our own side here."

Lancer of Red simply nodded before jumping high into the air and vanishing.

Kairi pondered the implications of this. He wondered if the Church had anything to do with it. Still, he could only speculate on any number of reasons for it.

"It looks like we were right not to join them, Master." Saber dematerialized into her casual outfit, plopping herself on the end of the couch. "Something weird is going on."

"Yeah."

"Do you think we should tell Ruler?"

That was another thing. The meeting was only in a few more hours. That priest would be meeting up with Ruler to discuss the terms of their alliance. It was an important event for both sides. That includes him and his own Servant.

If they told Ruler, it would cast suspicion over their faction. Any thoughts of an alliance between them could crumble. Even though all of it sounded too suspicious, Kairi couldn't risk that unless he was absolutely sure.

"No," he said whilst shaking his head. "She might call off the meeting. We don't have any solid evidence that proves for sure that the priest is up to something. Besides, it'll be easier for me to move if everyone has their attention here."

"You got a plan?" smirked Saber.

"More or less…"

* * *

The town had a small church located at its center. Like most of the buildings there, it was very old—said to have been established at the start of the town's history. It's capacity was only at about a hundred people. Rarely would it fill that many. On weekdays the church would only be visited by a few.

It was the agreed upon location that the two factions had designated as their meeting point.

"Are you sure it was wise to leave Berserker behind?"

Ruler glanced at Saber at her side. "This is a diplomatic meeting. Though I understand that Berserker will be obedient to me, it may put the other side ill at ease if they were to see him."

"It is true that he is a most fearsome hero," said Saber. The King of Knights wore her light casual outfit of a simple white blouse and a short blue skirt. "I can understand your reason for wanting to leave him behind, but having him here would reassure your safety."

"That's why I have you here." Ruler smiled at her. She held on to the hand of her Servant.

Saber coughed as her cheeks lightly reddened.

Another voice cut in on their conversation. It was the disembodied voice of Assassin.

"While I understand that I am using Presence Concealment, I do feel rather forgotten in this atmosphere. To be ignored like this in the presence of two beautiful young ladies is tragic. Please don't forget that I am here as well."

"Of course," said Ruler.

Of the two Servants to accompany her, Assassin was a must. He would hopefully serve as a precaution against the other faction's Assassin, while Saber will bring the much needed firepower should the need arise.

The others were waiting at the edge of town should their be trouble. Only Berserker was left behind to guard their home base. It had all been decided unanimously beforehand.

Arriving at the doorstep of the small church, Ruler couldn't help but feel slightly nervous. As a class of Servant that had been supposed to have been summoned to be neutral, allying herself with another would have been unthinkable. However, as a designated Master she had to do what was necessary for them to win the war.

Saber opened the door for her. Inside, standing at the altar, was the representative of the Red faction.

He was a tanned-skinned youth with white silver-like hair. As one would have expected of someone from the Church, he wore the vestments of a priest. There were no others visible beside him.

"Careful," whispered Assassin. "I can sense their Assassin lingering behind him. Though I can't sense any other Servants nearby."

Ruler frowned. "Only a single Servant?"

"Yes. It appears they are the only ones here from their faction. Quite bold of them."

No doubt the priest was the Master of Assassin of Red. Since she was of the same faith, it was possible that the Masters of Red concluded that he would be the best fit to negotiate on their behalf.

Ruler stepped forward. "I am Jeanne D'arc, Master and the one who leads the faction of Blue Servants in this Greater Holy Grail war. I've come as promised."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Jeanne D'arc." The priest smiled and nodded. He stepped down from the altar and walked to the middle to meet her. "My name is Shirou Kotomine. On behalf of the Masters of Red, I welcome you and honored to meet with a saint such as yourself."

Ruler observed the young man. There was something odd about him. Though he had a placid look on his face, his eyes seemed to be delighted.

"Shirou… Kotomine?"

Ruler heard the barely perceptible confused murmur of Saber beside her.

"And you must be Saber of Blue," said the priest, his eyes turning to her. "I've been looking forward to meeting you in person as well." He paused briefly as he stared at her. "My… As I thought, you appear to be a strong Servant indeed. It is fortunate that we are not facing one another as enemies right now."

Ruler could sense the unease from Saber. She appeared to be a lot more tense than she should be, almost glaring at the priest.

"So, shall we get to the heart of this meeting?" said Ruler. "Your side proposed an alliance to eliminate the Servants of Black. Shall we discuss terms?"

Shirou maintained his smile. "But of course."

* * *

Mordred watched the people of the town come and go from the southern entrance. They were blissfully unaware of the unprecedented meeting taking place in their quiet town.

"You're looking a bit too impatient, Saber."

She didn't bother to look at her fellow Servant of Red behind her.

Rider had been tasked to watch this place together with her and remain cautious should anything go wrong.

"I'm sure everything is going smoothly," he said with a yawn. "There's not much sense in fighting each other right now. That would only mean that the Servants of Black would get the upper hand on both our sides if we did. Not something anyone on our sides would want… Well, maybe I could see Caster enjoying it, though."

It was true what he had said. But Mordred wasn't particularly worried about the Servants of Blue.

She glanced at Rider lazily leaning on a tree on a warm day. Mordred wondered if he knew what truly was going on with his Master. It annoyed her, but she couldn't ask him since it might jeopardize her Master's mission.

Mordred had been left behind here by her Master to deceive the others that he was still there, hiding himself away somewhere. They wouldn't think to look for him whilst the discussions with the Servants of Blue was ongoing.

"Wish I was down there," said Rider. "It would be interesting to meet with the other Servants. Especially that Saber of Blue. Lancer said she was strong."

That was another reason for her growing impatience.

Her father was there. The King of Knights had attended the meeting as one of the Servants guarding Ruler.

Mordred was so close to seeing her. It would be the first time that they would see each other since their battle.

Would she be surprised? Furious? Depressed? How would the King of Knights feel upon seeing the one responsible for the end of his life and legend?

Her gauntlets creaked as her hand tightened to a fist.

There was something more that she deeply did not want to face… That her father would feel nothing at all at the sight of her. Only a cold indifference—same as her final moments upon that bloody hill of battle.

"Hey, relax a little." Rider put a hand to her shoulder. The look of laziness was gone from his face. "Your starting to worry me that you're going to go down there and start a fight. You're not Berserker, right? I'm not gonna have to worry about you doing that, right?"

Her frustrations seemed to have been showing even though her face was covered.

Mordred slapped his hand away.

"Mind your own business," she said. "You should worry more about yourself."

Rider shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever."

"Dammit." Mordred hated waiting like this. "How much longer am I going to be just standing here?"

Her hands itched to have her sword out and cleaving. She was less troubled when something near her needed to get pummeled. She didn't even have her Master around to whine to.

She hoped that he would at least find something interesting for all this trouble they were going through.

* * *

"As expected, it won't be that easy, will it?"

Kairi hid himself at a corner, watching the passing dragontooth warriors pass by. He had managed to infiltrate the bounded field that encompassed the church where he had first met with the priest. Unlike before though, the place was heavily guarded.

He quietly worked his way deeper into the church, avoiding the guards and bypassing the traps set up for intruders. So far, he'd been doing well. He just hoped he could find the other Masters soon before the meeting ended.

The necromancer wasn't quite sure yet what he would do if he should actually meet with one of the Masters of Red. They would wonder why he was here when he was supposed to be making sure the meeting was going as planned. Still, confirmation that they were still alive and well would be nice.

Slipping past another set of guards, he found a long, dark corridor. There was a perceptible chill to the air coming from there, not unlike that of a tomb. There was a sense of danger that lingered around it.

"The traps are getting more complex, huh? I guess that means I'm going the right way."

Squatting down, he traced a thin horizontal line before the corridor. Strange wisps of green light pushed forward before getting blown away with a slight pressure.

"A poison field?" he whistled. "Hard to see and deadly to any living thing that crosses it. Probably that work of Assassin. Damn, this is going to take a bit of work."

Kairi took out a pouch from his back. He emptied the contents of it onto the floor, spilling fine red powder that scattered to the ground. He started whispering an incantation, causing the red powder to fizz with sparks as it spread towards the corridor.

There was a low hum, followed by a whine. At the sound of a crack, everything was silent and the smoke that had clung to the air vanished.

"Wonder if I should charge that to the Clocktower?" That was a rather expensive material he'd used. If there really was nothing wrong with the Masters of Red, he'd have completely wasted it on here. No doubt he'd piss off his fellow mages for having puncture through their own defenses as well.

He proceeded forward, confident that there was no longer any danger. However, as soon as he walked several feet, he felt the presence of another bounded field. It wasn't any danger to him, but he could feel that he had triggered it.

"Shit!" Kairi ran forward as fast as he could. He had stepped on an alarm. Since it was a simple one that wasn't dangerous at all, he wasn't able to detect it over the poison field. That meant whoever had set it up knows he was there.

There was no other choice.

He had to push through as quick as he could before they got to him. If he was wrong, he could always just apologize to them. If he was right, then there was a good chance he'll likely end up dead.

As he ran down the corridor, he glanced at the Command Seals on his hand. Only two left. As a last resort he could always summon Saber to him, but that would leave him with only a single Command Seal for the rest of the war. He hoped that it wouldn't come to that.

"Life or death?" He took out his shotgun and fired as two dragontooth warrior appeared blocking the way. His cursed finger bullets shattered them. "Whatever! If this is how it's going to be, then I might as well see what they have to hide!"

* * *

"Master, we have a problem."

Shirou continued to smile, leaving his face without any other trace of worry while Assassin of Red spoke in an urgent tone to him through their mental link. He couldn't allow Ruler to see something troubling him. They were still discussing the terms of their agreement and their plans on taking down the Servants of Black.

"Someone has snuck through some of the defenses I've set up in our base," continued Semiramis.

Shirou pretended to think over the terms that Ruler had laid out.

"Is it a Servant?" he asked silently in his mind.

"No. It's a mage. He's slowly making his way towards the Masters of Red."

Shirou looked up to Ruler. If it was a mage, then it wasn't possible that Ruler had been the one responsible for it. There were only Servants in her faction. It was far more likely that it would be someone from the Black faction. Still, he was unsure as to how they were able to choose the perfect timing to infiltrate their base while they were away.

"Return and deal with it," he said to his Servant. "It would be better if you could leave the mage alive. I'd like to find out what they know."

It would be a complete disaster if the mage managed to reach the other Masters in their current state.

For now, they still have their Command Seals. Shirou had held off of taking them for himself. He had done so because it would paint him as a target, much as Ruler was. A single Master for multiple Servants would be seen as a weak point that can easily be killed compared to trying to take down all his Servants. To think that it may end up leading to the destruction of his plans.

"Is there something the matter?"

Shirou was shaken from his thoughts by Ruler.

"Nothing at all," he said. It appeared that he wasn't able to hide his worry entirely. "I am just considering all matters. I hope you understand that we cannot go into this without thoroughly thinking it through."

"Wasn't your side the one who proposed this alliance?" asked Saber of Blue suspiciously.

Shirou had done well to hide his surprise to find out that the Servant was none other than the King of the Round Table, King Arthur. It was unbelievable that a young girl had been the King of all Great Britain once upon a time. Already this meeting had borne fruit for him with knowing just that.

He had hoped to find out more about her, but the Servant seemed unusually on guard against him, casting him with a doubtful gaze the entire time. It was as if she had already decided he was someone not to be trusted the moment he had said his name.

"It wasn't without careful consideration, though." Shirou chuckled. "The other Masters aren't exactly as cooperative as you might think. Mages are, after all, a bit more paranoid than most people. They aren't ones to trust so easily."

"I find that priests are usually the ones that are difficult to trust," said Saber of Blue.

Shirou couldn't exactly explain why she seemed so guarded against him. He'd been perfect in his role since the start—a role he had been experienced in for decades. Perhaps one of the clergy in her time had been the cause of her mistrust. But he could not remember such a priest in the legends of King Arthur.

"I assure you that I work in the service of God," he answered truthfully. "All I do is for what's best for humanity."

If he couldn't make them trust him, then he had another way of forcing their hands…

* * *

Kairi breathed in roughly and leaned against the wall. The necromancer had been running and fighting nonstop since they detected him. This was the first break in combat he'd had.

"What the hell is… with this reception?" he exhaled. "It's all been dragontooth warriors. If the other Masters really are here, they would have come out by now to check what the hell was going on."

He'd hoped that the last batch had been the last of the guards. There certainly were many of them, even for him. He was down to his last grenade, and that one was a poison-based curse. It would hardly work against dragontooth warriors that didn't even need to breathe.

After continuing to walk for a several minutes, he finally reached a heavy wooden door.

Kairi carefully knocked on it. There was no answer, but there wasn't any traps either as far as he could tell.

It wasn't even locked when he tried to open it.

"Huh…?"

Inside was a small square room with couches and seats, gathered around and sitting on them were none other than the mages of the Red faction.

"You guys—!" Kairi quickly stopped in his tracks. He noticed the purple mist that hung in the air.

He looked at the conditions of the mages and concluded that it must have been another type of poison. No doubt it was another work of the priest's Assassin.

Just as he was thinking on how to break them out, the entire scene vanished. Replacing the room was a bigger one—different with the obvious wooden walls and furnished to that of a dining room. There was a single large window that showed a small but green garden.

He recognized it.

There was no way he could ever forget. It was his old home. The house he'd lived and learned magecraft in.

"So sorry but I'm afraid I can't let you go."

Coming out of the bathroom with a flush was a man dressed foppishly in green and carrying a book and a quill. He bowed and smiled at the necromancer.

"Caster of Red, I presume?" said Kairi. "I thought you'd be at the meeting?"

"I had thought I would be there too!" Caster of Red shook his head in exaggerated despair. "Alas, I was ordered to guard the safety of our dear Masters. They deemed I wouldn't be of any use there due to my being so weak."

Kairi cursed inwardly. He wasn't expecting to encounter a Servant.

"Can't you see what they did to your Master?"

Caster stared at him blankly before taking a thinking pose. "Let me see… I believe Assassin has her mind in a state of peace and acceptance? Instead of a poison, it is somewhat more comparable to medicine with it's effects, though? She should be feeling quite happy and calm in a sort of semi-dreamlike state where she believes whatever is told to her. At least that's what the Queen of Poison had told."

That was bad.

And so was this for freelance mage. That meant that Caster had knowingly sided with the priest against his own Master and the rest of them.

However, if Caster himself admitted that he was weak, then maybe Kairi had a chance. Caster-class Servants tended to be the weakest among the Servants when it comes to taking damage. If he could just get a hit…

"I'm afraid your play is about to unfold and I must dive behind the curtains." Caster of Red disappeared before the necromancer could even touch the trigger of his shotgun. His voice echoed all around him. "I was hoping to feel inspiration by seeing that of other Servants, but I suppose a distinguished and unorthodox mage such as yourself would be interesting to see as well."

The light of day outside the house turned dark. It was pitch black until the lights inside the house had suddenly came on.

"Then out comes the first, and possibly last, actor of our play!"

Kairi had his shotgun ready, warily staring at all points around the room. He didn't know how Caster's illusion worked, but he could at least tell that it was something that affected him mentally. If that was so, then only needed to bide some time until his safety went off.

He heard a step behind him.

Kairi pointed his gun at the direction of the sound. He froze the moment his target came into his sight.

"Papa?"

Standing in front of him was a young girl barely pass her teens. She had shoulder length hair and wore a simple white dress and a long striped skirt. Her deep dark eyes stared at him with curiosity.

"Ayumi…?"


	7. Chapter 7

"I hope your hungry. I'll have the food ready in just a bit."

Kairi remained seated at the dining table as he watched his daughter, Ayumi, stir the pan as a delectable smell permeated the room. His eyes darted down. His clothes were replaced by a simple gray t-shirt and slacks. Looking at a mirror on a wall at his side, he noticed that even his image had turned back to the man he once was. Before he knew it, all his weapons were gone and he had unconsciously taken a seat.

Kairi quietly grabbed the fork on the table. He was familiar with how illusions worked. Since flushing his mana throughout his entire body wasn't working, there was a more direct way of trying to break through it.

He sucked in a breath, then gritted his teeth and plunged the fork into his thigh. He wasn't really expecting it to work nor did he think an illusionary fork would hurt, but the throbbing in his thigh felt very real and very painful. It didn't even manage dispel the illusion.

A plate of fresh and warm meal was placed on the table. Ayumi beamed at him with an expression of glee.

"Eat up. I'm confident I got it just the way you like it."

Kairi turned from her face down to his plate. The utensils were placed beside it, including his fork. His hand that had been holding it was empty. The wound he'd given himself had vanished and stopped hurting as well.

"…You're not her."

The Ayumi in front of him tilted her head slightly much in the same way as he'd always known her to do.

"I know this is all just fake, Caster of Red!" Kairi pounded on the table and stood up, glaring everywhere around the room. "An illusion like this isn't going to work well when the affected knows it's all fake!"

While its realism was something that no modern magic could ever achieve, there were far more extreme mental manipulation magecraft that altered and affected the mind to "trick" people into experiencing severe delusions. Aside from being a little shocked, Kairi didn't feel that whatever Caster of Red had done had influenced his mind.

The scene changed.

Kairi stood in a dark and empty stone room, not much different from the catacombs that he and Saber made into their home base. A stone coffin behind him opened to reveal the playwright getting up and out.

"It is as you say," he answered with a smirk. "My Noble Phantasm does not directly affect or control the mind of those it targets. But then again, it is not meant to."

Noble Phantasm. Crystallized Mysteries that are owned by Heroic Spirits. They can be either powerful weapons or abilities that human imagination had embodied and symbolized a Servant's legend and life.

Kairi frowned. "To use it against an ordinary mage… I don't know if I should feel honored or depressed."

"Ah, but I am such a weak Servant," said Caster. "It is my belief, that should we fight without skills or tricks, then I will most definitely lose one-hundred percent. I was never a fighter, you see? The most I can do is keep you occupied until Assassin of Red arrives."

It will all be over for Kairi once another Servant comes into the picture. There was no way he could escape with two Servants around.

"But I feel that you are mistaking my Noble Phantasm to be a much too simple trickery." Caster of Red snapped his fingers.

Everything went momentarily black until candles flickered to life at the edge of the stone room. Caster of Red was gone and in the center of the room lay a wide square stone table.

"As you say, my Noble Phantasm cannot affect your mind." Caster's voice echoed from somewhere.

Lying on the flat stone surface was Kairi and his daughter. Other people dressed in black cloaks stood surrounding them.

"Hey…" Kairi remembered this place now. "No. This isn't…"

"I… I'm scared, Papa." Ayumi was looking at his younger self on the table beside her. "I don't… I don't want to do this."

"It'll be alright," said his younger self, holding on to her hand. "You'll be fine. You'll be perfectly fine, I promise."

"The Noble Phantasm granted to a writer of the ages, to I, William Shakespeare, can only seek to break the hearts of my audience."

"Stop." Kairi tried to grab hold of Ayumi, but his hands simply went past her. "Stop it!"

Kairi repeatedly tried and failed to get her off the table, watching with ever increasing dread as his daughter's eyes slowly began to flutter before closing and falling into a deep sleep.

"Don't do it." He turned to his younger self on the table. Kairi resorted to trying to hit him with his fists, but all of it passed through same as it did with Ayumi. "Don't say it! Just don't, you stupid idiot!"

"Do it," nodded his younger self to one of the cloaked men.

The event unfolded just as Kairi remembered it. Midway into the ritual of transferring his magic crest, something went wrong. Ayumi's body tensed and thrashed even whilst unconscious, with some of the mages trying to hold it down. His younger self stopped the ritual immediately.

One moment he was a bystander watching all of it from the side unable to touch anything, the next Kairi found himself to be the one on the stone table looking up at the dreary ceiling. He slowly turned his head to the right to see his daughter's body lying still with a cloth covering her face.

She was dead.

He had killed her.

Kairi sat up and reached out to her. Unlike before, he could finally touch her. Though this time, her body felt cold against his arms, lifeless and still.

Tears rolled down his cheeks. "Ayumi… I shouldn't have done it."

"Tragic."

Caster of Red entered the scene from the corner of Kairi's eyes. The great writer sat himself on a wooden chair and watched the necromancer closely.

"You loved her dearly. A mage's life has never been easy. If you had abandoned your ambition, she would have lived. But then, that would mean the end of your clan. The end of your lineage and magecraft passed down through generations. It was wishful thinking that your family curse would not pass on to her simply because she was not of your blood. Sadly, the permanence of death is what forces us a human beings to struggle in life. It's what pushed you into heights you would never had achieved being contented."

Kairi wiped his tears to glare at the Servant. "So you want to keep me in this twisted play of yours until Assassin of Red comes? Keep me in the same place as the other Masters of Red?"

"We can't leave you just standing in the room now, can we?" said Caster of Red. "Don't worry. You'll be sitting down quite comfortably with the rest once Assassin of Red is done with you. And then, we'll have Saber of Red become part of our cast as well."

"That so?"

Shakespeare raised a brow curiously at noticing that Kairi's change in tone.

Kairi gently laid aside his daughter. "My Servant isn't one that could easily be controlled, you know? In fact, I believe I'll get an earful from having myself toyed around like this."

She was loud and a little obnoxious, a tomboyish girl that preferred batting everything in her way down with brute force. She was the total opposite of what his daughter was like.

Still, his Servant showed a bright and cheerful smile that was exactly like that of hers.

"Tell me, Caster of Red… Can you hear the time ticking?"

The Servant frowned in confusion. "What are you speaking of? There are no clocks here."

Kairi smiled slyly. "It's about time for curtain call."

Outside of the ultimate play that is Shakespeare's Noble Phantasm, the Servant examined the still and standing body of the necromancer. His ears pricked after he noticed that, indeed, there was a ticking sound in the room. Which was strange, because there were no clocks there either.

Shakespeare finally realized that the sound was coming from the necromancer. Leaning down he found the source to be something attached behind the man's belt.

"A… grenade?"

The ticking stopped, and then, green gas flushed out from it, quickly filling up the room.

"W-What?!"

Caster worried for his safety, but after a few seconds, the gas didn't seem to really affect him. Weak as he was, even it were a strong poison, it would only mildly hinder a Servant like him. However, that was not the case for regular humans or mages.

The Masters of Red were shaken from their dazed states as they shifted into bouts of coughing and sputtering of blood.

The playwright immediately went to their aid and tried to remove them from the room one by one. If they died, then their Servants would disappear as well. Only after managing to get every single Master out of the room did the Servant finally noticed that the necromancer was gone. He'd broken free of his play the moment his concentration and narration had failed.

William Shakespeare clapped weakly and sighed. "Well played…"

* * *

"Have they really withdrawn?"

Archer appeared before Ruler. "I saw what was likely Rider of Red's chariot race through the sky in great haste. There must have been some serious incident on their side for them to leave in such a flashy manner."

Ruler sat on the church pew and contemplated. She and the priest that represented the Red faction had been going over the matter of their alliance when he had suddenly had a shocked looked on his face. He apologized and asked that they postpone the meeting due to an unforeseen emergency.

Shirou had quickly left the church, leaving Ruler wondering what on earth had happened.

"Do you think that the Servants of Black had attacked them whilst they were here?" asked Saber who stood next to Archer. "It may have been prudent to offer them our aid if that is so. If we were to be allies, then it is only right that we join them in battle."

"I don't think so," hummed Archer. "If it was, then they would have asked us to join them. The fact that they didn't even tell us what was wrong raises suspicion. They might not want us to know what happened."

"I agree." Assassin materialized sitting right next to Ruler. She hadn't realized he had been that close to her. "There is much they hide from us. Is it truly wise to ally ourselves with them?"

"I, too, hold reservations after seeing that priest," said Saber. "His name is… There is doubt that his lineage may be of concern to us. Some of the others will most certainly agree with me as well."

"His name?" queried Archer. "Don't tell me…"

"Kotomine," nodded Saber. "The young priest is named Shirou Kotomine. He bears no resemblance to my master that shares his first name, however, I believe it would be an exceptional coincidence to have the same family name of that priest here."

Ruler noticed that Archer's expression looked as if he had just eaten something rotten.

"Shirou… Kotomine?" he repeated hesitantly. He palmed his face. "What kind of sick joke is this?"

Ruler had known some bits and parts of the Holy Grail that they had participated in before they were summoned here. She didn't know much about the priest that served as the arbiter for it. Most of them did not seem to keen on speaking of him.

"I see." Ruler thought about it. The priest name Shirou Kotomine seemed to be an affable young man, but it was hard to measure his true intentions from that short meeting. "We will discuss this more once we return to the mansion. I would like to have everyone's opinion on the matter."

A knock came from the church doors. Leaning beside them was Lancer, dressed casually in his horribly colorful Hawaiian shirt.

"All done?" he asked. "Can we leave now? Nothing really left to do here since all the Servants of Red left."

The fact that he bothered to change to regular clothing meant that the Servant thought the area was suitably safe now.

"Yes," nodded Ruler. "I believe we should…" She knotted her brow after noticing something. "Where is Caster? Shouldn't she be here?"

Ruler looked toward Archer, who merely shrugged. "Last I saw she was carefully observing the Servants of Red from afar."

Somehow, Ruler felt an odd unease at that.

* * *

"H-How did this happen?"

Atalanta didn't know why the priest had ordered them to fall back and return to their base with haste, but once she'd fallen to the ground on her knees, she soon realized what had occurred.

Her Master was dead.

The link between Master and Servant was severed. She no longer had access to the mana provided for her. However, due to the Independent Action skill from her class as an Archer-class Servant, she would not disappear just because of that.

She really didn't care much for the death of her Master. After all, she hadn't even seen her Master before. But without a Master to provide her with mana, it was unlikely that she could fulfill her wish with the Greater Holy Grail. Fighting on her own reserves would drain her until she wouldn't be able to sustain herself in this world.

"I… have to return quickly," she said weakly.

The priest had ordered all of them to move as quickly as possible, asking Rider to pick him up and transport him back as the utmost importance. The rest of them would individually travel back as fast as they could. The sudden death of her Master had caused Atalanta to fall behind now, though.

She knelt in a wide open grass hills. It was far from the forested lands that she considered her natural hunting grounds. Weakened as she was, she knew that it would be dangerous for her if she were to meet an enemy Servant in her current state.

Her sharp ears pricked upwards.

Atalanta rolled to the side swiftly, narrowly avoiding a beam of purple light that pulverized the ground she had been on. She turned and made a quick shot with her bow at her opponent, but it was blocked by a barrier with a raised hand.

"Who are you?!" Atalanta glared at the female Servant that quietly floated down to hover a few inches off the ground. "A Caster-class Servant? Which faction are you from?"

The hooded woman aimed her palm at her and spell circles appeared and hovered around her. Atalanta had no choice but to dodge the slew of attacks, weaving left and right over the hills whilst taking countering with shots from her bow from time to time. In an open area like they were, she found it hard to dodge the bombard of spells, but she had little choice.

The enemy Servant's intention before her was quite clear. She wanted her dead.

With the way things were, she only had one chance of making it out alive.

A strong spell blasted near her and sent Atalanta rolling back. She righted herself and focused on her enemy, goading her with her eyes to take her best shot.

Atalanta could see the lower face of her opponent curl into a snarl, apparently infuriated. She raised both hands and many more spell circles appeared in the air. Atalanta rushed like wind towards her.

Multiple purple beams of light lanced and crossed as they came in droves towards Atalanta simultaneously. It went as she had expected.

Blasts rained down the hills and shelled down that sent shocks through the earth whilst smoke and dust covered rose. It was as if warplanes had carpet bombed the location.

"I have you now."

Atalanta surprised her enemy when she appeared through the smoke. She was able to evade the deadly bombing with the activation of her skill, Calydonian Hunt. It was an A class rank skill that allowed her to evade pretty much any attack for a very short duration.

The enemy tried to back away, but Atalanta already had her bow drawn and raised. She let loose her arrows and the trio of them flew towards her target. Two of them hit the enemy Servant on her shoulder while the third one that was aimed at her head had narrowly missed, tearing through her hood instead.

The Servant fell to the ground clutching her shoulder.

"Don't move!" Atalanta was on her without delay, knocking an arrow aimed directly at her face. "Now tell me—!""

Atalanta paused in shock as she stood there being glared at hatefully by the woman that almost killed her.

"You…" Atalanta lowered her bow. "You are…"

Medea took that chance to blast her away with a spell, sending Atalanta flying a few feet away. Tossed and hit by the attack violently, Atalanta coughed as she struggled to try and get back up on her feet.

"…Why?"

"Why?" Medea's voice was ladened with venom. "You of all people should know why."

Atalanta's vision blurred as she saw her old friend walk towards her. Her head and her body hurt and throbbed. It was all she could do to remain conscious. The damage she received was extensive.

Atalanta lost her strength and flopped on the grass. She could only move her head weakly as her old friend stood nearby watching her.

"…A simple death is more than you deserve." Medea's right hand was covered in purple light. She knelt down and raised her open palm.

Atalanta looked up, and through the haziness, could see the memory of a gentle girl that she once knew looking at her lovingly overlap with the spiteful gaze of the woman about deliver her death. It had been a very long time since they last met.

"Medea…" Atalanta closed her eyes in apparent acceptance, a small tear dropping from her eye.

Only the memories of their time together occupied her final thoughts before the darkness finally took her.

* * *

"Master!"

Mordred shouted as she entered the catacomb that was their base. She had rushed their immediately after a very brief communication with him that got cut out. Since her link with him was stable, she at least knew him to be alive.

"Master, where are you?!" she shouted.

"Over here."

A hand was raised behind one of the stone coffins.

"Master, are you—?!" Mordred paused once she got a close look at him. "Have you been drinking?"

"Of course not!" said her Master in annoyance. "Does it look like I've been drinking?!"

With a few empty bottles strewn all over the floor next to him who was leaning sluggishly, it certainly looked like he had drunk himself into a stupor.

"I breathed in too much of my own poison," he answered. "I already built up a resistance to it, but I still needed to make an antidote to get rid of it out of my system completely. You know it was damn hard to get here while trying to escape from there after breathing a lungful of that stuff? Be glad that I managed even that when they had a Servant on guard there."

Mordred was impressed by that. It was a difficult feat to stay alive after facing off against even the weakest of Servants. She couldn't help but grin proudly at her tenacious Master.

"Help me up here," he said. Mordred put his arms over her shoulder and carried him. "We've gotta leave. It's no longer safe for us here."

"What? Why? Did you manage to meet with the other Masters of Red?"

"Sort of." Her Master nodded weakly. "I'll tell you all about it once we get away someplace safe. We don't have much time. I'm worried they'll come after us soon."

"Who?" Mordred asked, but she had a bad feeling she knew who.

"The other Servants of Red. We can't trust them. Not anymore."

Mordred cursed. "Where are we supposed to go?!"

Even though they had been moving independently from the other Red Servants, they had still been operating within the territory that Red faction had established.

"Ruler," mumbled Kairi. "She's at least someone we can trust. That saint won't allow us to be killed while we're like this. We can ask for… her help. She's going to… want to know…"

"You can't be serious? If we go there—Hey! Hey, don't go sleeping on me! Dammit!"

Mordred slapped his face a few times. He didn't so much as stir. Her Master was already passed out deep asleep. He didn't appear to be sick, only tired after curing the poison in his body. He'll need some time to recover.

It was frustrating for her as she didn't really think they would head back there so soon. Not only would they be going there asking for help from people who should be their enemies, but what would her father think upon seeing her crawling to them like a beaten dog?

Kairi groaned in his sleep. Mordred realized that they really didn't have any other choice. Being stubborn right now could cost her Master his life if the Red Servants were truly going after them.

And she couldn't allow that to happen.

"Only because I think you're a Master worth keeping," she grumbled to her unconscious Master as she hauled him towards the exit. "The food better be worth it at least…"


	8. Chapter 8

Medea gazed down at Atalanta's still form beneath her.

Memories of their time together rose from the depths of her thoughts. The long adventure they've had. The dangers they faced. The joy and absolute trust that they shared with one another. A bond she had thought could never be broken.

It made Medea all the more unable to stifle the rage in her heart.

She should have ended her a moment ago with her hand, however, she was unable to deliver the finishing blow. Her hand still hung just right above her head, glowing with malevolent light and slightly shaking from the fury at being held back.

"Why?" Medea lifted her head to look away from the target of her scorn. "Why do you stop me, Rider?"

Standing a few feet away from her, Rider stood from the embers of the scorched earth and gouged hills of the earlier battle. The Servant held firmly on to the chain that held back Medea's hand. Medea did not need to see her eyes to know that the silent Servant was watching her very carefully.

"…Should you really be the one asking questions here, Caster?"

Medea stood up to face her fellow Servant, taking a quick glance over at the unconscious Atalanta.

"I'm simply performing my duties as a Servant," she answered with a devious smile. "This is a war, after all. Eliminating enemy Servants is a given, is it not?"

Medea took a step back. She only needed a moment to kill the vulnerable archer.

"A Servant also follows the orders of her Master." Rider pulled and tightened her grip on her chain, preventing Medea from inching any closer to Atalanta. Her blindfolded gaze seemed to be saying that she will not allow any tricks from her. "You know Ruler forbade any conflicts with the Servants of Red while they discuss an alliance."

Medea clicked her tongue in irritation. She was so close.

Why was it that she wasn't allowed to her vengeance? She had already restrained herself from attempting to kill their own Archer. She should at least be allowed to kill a different one. It's not as if a Caster-class Servant was weak against those of the Archer class. Although, her continued experience so far made it seem though they would always be the bane of her existence.

Next thing she knew she wouldn't even be allowed to kill even Archer of Black next. Not that she knows who the Servant was as of yet. But given how things had gone for her, she wouldn't be too surprised if she hated that one as well.

Briefly, Medea considered attacking Rider, but the weight of the chain on her hand reminded her that she was at a disadvantageous position right now.

"As wonderful as a Master she is, Ruler is far too kind to take the necessary steps to win this war." Medea decided to try and convince Rider, or at least distract her somehow. "This Servant seemed to have lost her Master, and I saw it as an opportunity and chose to take it. I doubt that her side would realize that it was my doing. It would greatly increase our advantage over them as well, once we've taken care of the Black faction. You should also realize that they will not quietly hand over the grail to us afterwards. It is better to leave them in a more… vulnerable position."

Rider remained silent at her words. She did not seemed moved at all by her reasoning.

"You of all the other Servants should be in agreement with me on this, Medusa." Medea finally got a reaction from her at the mention of her name. "Was your life not ruined the same as mine by those Greek heroes?"

Rider knotted her brows. More akin to a Divine Spirit, she differed from other Servants who were Heroic Spirits. In her tales, she was the monster that those heroes would vanquish. Suffice to say, she had faced many who came seeking the glory that her death would bring.

"Did they not come to your island in droves in hopes of taking your head?" said Medea. "Was it not the same gods that cursed you that kept sending those so-called heroes? Even though you did nothing wrong. Even though you secluded yourself away from the world and only wished to live in peace."

Cruelty was not a trait exclusive to men. The gods could be just as cruel. Even worse with the powers they wielded during those times. It was not uncommon for them to curse and play with the lives of the humans they thought who were beneath them. Medea and Medusa were only two of the many that experienced this firsthand.

"Would you like to be the one to deal the blow?" asked Medea. "You deserve to have a little vengeance as well for all your suffering, do you not?"

Rider lowered her head for a moment.

Just as Medea thought she convinced the Servant, the chain on her wrist was pulled and tightened even more so.

"…While it may be true that those heroes were responsible for my tragic end," said Rider, "I do not begrudge them for doing so."

Medea was surprised by this.

"Those who stepped foot on that island were prepared to lose their lives, just the same as I was prepared to defend mine. Many of them were cursed to that fate by the whims of gods, sent to their deaths. They were as much victims as you or I."

"I see…" Medea shook her head and laughed. "It seems it's not just Ruler who is far too kind. I seem to be surrounded by wonderfully naive girls. It delights me, truly. I, too, was once the same." The smile on her face vanished, replaced by a cold gaze. "But that part of me died so long ago now. It's only fair that she die along with it!"

Medea's staff materialized above them and slammed down on Rider's chain, pinning it to the ground. With a single wave of her free hand, Medea summoned at least two dozen Dragon Tooth Warriors surrounding Rider.

Against a Servant, these familiars did little but be more than a minor distraction, only annoying the blindfolded Servant at their appearance. However, they were simply just that. A distraction.

Rider blew away the bone warriors with a whip of her other chain, the long and heavy linked metals scattering the familiars to pieces. Before all their bones had even fallen to the ground, Rider realized that Medea's spells surrounded her. She saw the spellcaster raise her hand and make a gesture, then the large spell circles split into smaller ones. Thinner but no less deadly beams of purple light fired upon her. She jumped to a twist and contorted her lithe body in midair, narrowly avoiding the searing beams. It was an impressive feat. However after landing, there were more familiars that surrounded her, with more rising from the earth.

Meanwhile, Medea had managed to free herself. She had planned for her familiars to buy her just enough time to finish what she had started. Even thousands of them wouldn't be enough to defeat a Servant. But the ones she had would be enough to at least buy her some time at least.

She stopped as soon as she took a single step towards her objective.

Now standing between her and Atalanta was Ruler, along with the three knight-class Servants. It was as good as an impregnable wall. Saber, Lancer, and Archer were usually Servants that had the highest degree of magic resistance among the Servants. Needless to say, but fighting all three of them alongside Ruler would be a fruitless endeavor for a Caster-class Servant.

"Caster…"

There was no anger or reproach in the eyes of her current Master. Only sadness.

Medea could only stand still where she stood, unable to look at those kind eyes that stung her conscience terribly.

"Master." Saber carried the unconscious Atalanta in her arms effortlessly. "It seems she has barely any mana left. Her connection to her Master must have been severed. She won't last much more than a day at this rate."

Ruler nodded. "Let's take her back with us. Caster, we will speak of this once we return."

"…Understood." Medea could only reluctantly agree.

* * *

"How could you let this happen!"

Assassin of Red fumed in absolute rage.

Shakespeare could only bow in deference. He knew that only the fact that she was busily administering aid to the poisoned Masters of Red was the only reason she was not actively strangling him to death. So she can only heap words of abuse his way as she worked.

"For a Servant to lose against a mage…"

"Well…" said Caster. "As I have said before, I am a rather weak Servant. Saber's Master was rather cunning as well. I'm actually quite im—"

"I care not for such an excuse!" Semiramis finally finished treating the Masters. She snarled as she went towards him. "Because of your failure, you may have just cost us our chance in winning this war! Not only have our actions been discovered by that necromancer, but we've lost a Servant as well!"

It was too late for them to save Archer of Red's Master. Losing one of the Masters wasn't all that debilitating to them, since Shirou had been planning on taking their roles later on in the war anyway.

The problem was that Archer had failed to return.

With her Master dead, she would have no access to mana. But with the Independent Action skill of her class, she wouldn't just vanish like the other Servants. She would still be left severely weakened, though.

Semiramis lifted Shakespeare by his throat. "Since you've repeatedly informed and shown us on how useless you are then it shouldn't matter at all if I get rid of you now, does it?"

"Kuh!"

"Let him go, Assassin."

Semiramis frowned but did as her Master commanded. Shirou had just arrived after making sure that the other Servants were either busy guarding their base or out searching for Archer. At least the situation at hand had given them some leeway before having to explain to the other Servants on the condition of their Masters. It was just enough time for Shirou to make preparations underway to fully pull the rest of them under his direct influence. Still, the situation wasn't ideal.

Not only have they effectively lost two Servants on their side, but they may now have lost any opportunity of an alliance with the Ruler's faction. He had no doubt that the necromancer will have informed them and the Mage's Association of his deeds.

"Have the others located Saber and her Master?" asked Assassin.

"No. It's likely too late already. That mage must have already sent word to the Mage's Association fully anticipating that we would try to stop him. With Archer gone, we also lost our best chance of tracking those two down."

"Do we know what happened to Archer at least?"

Shirou sighed. "Rider had found signs of a large fight about halfway from here to the place where we met Ruler. Given the surrounding damage in the area… It doesn't look like Archer was taken without a fight. We know she's still alive at least. It took quite a lot of convincing to stop Rider from charging towards the Yggdmillenia fortress."

"So they've taken our Archer?"

"Likely, but we can't be sure of it." Shirou doubted that Ruler would have attacked the Servant right after having a meeting of an alliance. It was highly doubtful that the kind-hearted saint do such a thing. Still, they had no concrete evidence that Archer had fought with a Servant of Black.

His Servant shook her head in dismay. "And now we are down two Servants and just made a potential threat to Ruler. The meeting with her brought us nothing but problems."

"But it did have its advantages," smiled Shirou, the priest remembering the meeting. "To think that the King of Knights would be that girl. I didn't expect that at all. It seems that Ruler had been given a powerful Servant in this war."

"And she did not suspect your true identity?" questioned Caster with curiosity. "That is quite fortunate."

"It's a shame I wasn't able to see identify her other Servants. They seemed quite cautious."

Though he couldn't see them in their spiritual forms, Shirou still felt a strangely strong gaze of suspicion coming from them. Just King Arthur alone was trying to hard to blank her immediate distrust of him on her face. He couldn't think of a reason why they were so wary of him when Ruler herself seemed fine. It's not like they knew each other.

"So what do you propose we do now?" said Assassin, her eyes following her Master as he walked towards the other Masters to check on their condition. "In our current state, we cannot hope to assault the Servants of Black. Taking the Holy Grail will be difficult. Even if we could win against them somehow, Ruler may not stand by and let us do as we please due to her suspicions against us now, even if she doesn't know your true identity."

The priest was in quiet thought for a few moments.

"…Given the change in the rules of this war, maybe we don't have to take the Holy Grail by force?"

"What do you mean?" Shakespeare couldn't help but show his curiosity in his words. "An alternate route towards your goal?"

"Perhaps an alliance isn't off the table quite yet…"

* * *

The soft white sand felt warm underneath her bare feet. It felt wonderful to her along with the view of the clear blue sea that sparkled from the light of the sun. The sound of the gentle waves rocking back and forth from the beach was calming to the ears, as was the smell of the slightly salty breeze.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

To her side, there appeared her friend. A young girl whose smiling face dazzled her as much as the glittering sea. Her light clothing swayed as she brushed her long hair from her pointed ears. She was a picture of youth and innocence that captured the hearts of those that saw her.

"Medea…"

The girl turned at the mention of her name, her eyes clear and pure. "What is it, Atalanta?"

Atalanta opened her mouth, but hesitated to speak. Something bothered her about this, but somehow her mind felt too hazy to remember.

"…It's nothing."

The virgin huntress could not recall. In the back of her mind, the thought of that perhaps that was for the best seemed to reassure herself.

This present memory was what was important right now.

"Hey, Atalanta." Medea lightly grasped at her hand, looking concerned. "You'll always be my friend, won't you?"

Atalanta's lips curled to a small smile at the sweet girl. She raised her hand to pat her gently on her head.

"Of course I will," she answered.

Why wouldn't she? She cherished Medea after all.

"Atalanta is kind…" said Medea. She stepped back, facing away. "But you won't. You betrayed me. The friend I trusted the most."

An impossible chill in the weather appeared, causing Atalanta to flinch at the sudden change. The clear sky turned stormy and the sea became turbulent. Lightning cracked through the dark clouds above them, momentarily blinding her vision.

"It was all just a lie, wasn't it?"

Once her vision readjusted, the figure of her friend had disappeared. It had changed.

There was no longer a girl, but a woman that stood before her. Clad in a hooded cloak that wrapped around the woman like a seething darkness, her image seemed to bring about an agonizing memory from the depths of Atalanta's mind.

"No…" Atalanta grasped her aching head, shivering in dread. "I… It wasn't… a lie. I didn't betray you! That never happened!"

Medea stepped closer towards her. She couldn't see underneath her cowl, but then again, she didn't even try to. She was afraid. Afraid of what she would see. However, she did notice the strangely shaped blade that Medea pulled out.

She had enough sense of self-preservation to stop the blade from being plunged into her heart. She gripped tightly onto Medea's arms, preventing the blade from going any further. Being so close, she couldn't help but stare at the woman trying to kill her. A gale brushed against them, causing Medea's hood to be blow off. Atalanta was stunned at the sight. Then, all her resistance towards her own death fell.

"But it already did!" Medea shouted, right after she had successfully plunged the dagger into her chest.

Atalanta gasped and staggered back, looking down and touching the blood that dripped down from her chest. She stumbled and fell to the ground. She felt shocked… but also relieved. That was because she knew that she deserved it.

Even after her vision slowly dimmed, she searched for Medea's figure. As she lay on the ground, she found her standing and watching her bleed out. She could no longer see her face as the darkness consumed her. Still, she tried to reach out to her. Her hand was heavy, but she continued to grasp at nothing, hoping to feel even the slight touch of her old friend once more.

Then, when her despair reached its peak at the thought of disappearing without her friend to hold on to, she felt a warm hand grasp hers. It was soft, gentle and comforting.

"Are you well?"

Atalanta opened her eyes and the suffocating darkness around her vanished. She had woken up to find herself laying on a canopy bed in an unfamiliar room. Sitting beside her was a girl with clear amethyst-colored eyes and a braided long blond hair. It was her that was holding her hand.

"You…" Her mind seemed to finally recall everything. "Ruler?! Why are you—kuh?!"

Atalanta tried to sit up, but the severe lack of mana had left her in an incredibly weakened state.

"Please lie down," Ruler said with concern. "You barely have enough energy to sustain your form right now. You've lost your Master and even exhausted a good deal of mana earlier. Now that you are awake, perhaps you should consider going into your spiritual form?"

Atalanta gathered her thoughts. She was right. She was in no state to move around carelessly. It was probably also one of the reasons that Ruler didn't seem bothered to be alone with her right now. Even a lowly mage could kill her at her current condition.

"No." Atalanta remembered what had happened to her and what had happened before in her dream and her past. "It's better that I just disappear from this war. I… don't have the right to participate in it."

Ruler stared at her.

"So, I guess it's true that you and Caster knew each other?"

Atalanta didn't meet the Saint's eyes.

"Would you please tell me how?" Ruler pleaded. "I want to understand why she acted that way. She attacked her fellow Servant in this war in order to try and kill you. Surely there must be an important reason why?"

"You know who she is?" she asked. "My name is Atalanta… That should be explanation enough."

For a Servant, revealing one's true name could be deadly. But the huntress was ready to vanish at any moment. It didn't really matter to her now. It was what Caster had wanted to do earlier anyway.

"…I see." Ruler frowned. "You were one of the Argonauts."

Atalanta nodded.

"What happened back then… It was terrible for her."

Atalanta felt the pang of guilt pierce her deeper. "I… betrayed her. She trusted me, but I didn't trust her. I didn't know it then. I had thought—No, I didn't even listen to her."

Becoming a Heroic Spirit and turning into a physical manifestation as a Servant was complex. One of the few complexities of the process is the given knowledge of the modern age for the manifested Servants, so they could function with few problems in modern society in their participation in the Grail War. Another one similar is the basic knowledge of others like themselves in the Throne of Heroes and their basic history. This is why keeping their identities secret is of utmost importance. Because revealing so may give enemies a chance to find potential weaknesses in their lore.

Knowledge of events long after and before their deaths that they had not known were suddenly given to them. It was a gift… and a curse to know the story of what had happened to them and those around them long after it was all over, turned into a part of history. The inspiration and wonders that their heroic acts had done, and the failures that they had not known or seen.

She hadn't thought of it until before. History was vast, after all. She knew of many heroes, villains, gods, and others during her time. Recalling every single one of them and their stories did not interest her. Why would she? It was already history. Her goal now had been to have her wish granted in this war. But she realized that that line of thinking may have been borne out of her desire to shield herself from the truth. That was why she had not thought of Medea at all since seeing her. And now that she had, it caused her no small amount of pain in her heart to see the truth of it from back then.

"I was her friend," she said bitterly.

Ruler's hand once again held hers. "Are you still not?"

As much as she wanted to be, she could never see Medea ever forgiving her. She understood this. That expression of hers in her dream… It was the same one she had seen long ago. That time when her friend needed her the most, and she tossed her aside so easily with disgust. It wasn't the face of either hatred or anger.

It was the expression of her once pure and innocent heart breaking. And it was Atalanta that broke it.

"There's nothing I could ever do that will make that true anymore. I don't expect even my death will satisfy her. But if it gives her even a small amount of comfort, then I will gladly give it to her."

Ruler looked pityingly at her. Any other time, as a proud Greek hero, she would have scoffed at being pitied in such a way. But right now she could only feel she deserved worse treatment than this. To be punished for her great failure.

"Then what if…?"

Ruler was reserved and hesitant, but she finally gave Atalanta a good reason to continue to stay in the war regardless of Medea's intense hatred of her.

"What if you were to help grant her wish?"


	9. Chapter 9

"Are you sure about this, Master?"

It was a gamble that Shirou Kotomine would rather not take. However, he understood the path to victory cannot be attained without taking risks.

And the risk was great.

If things didn't go according to this plan, then it was the end for him. All the years he'd spent on this world to fight in the Holy Grail War would have been wasted. But then again, there was still some small part of him that wished to see it fail. Because he could at least take it as God's disapproval. A sign.

An answer to him.

"Have faith," he said.

It was much as his answer and a prayer. When misfortune and disaster afflicts the believers, it was always said no matter the outcome to always have faith. Even as they were trampled, beaten, and murdered, those who believed kept their faith till the very end. To his shame, it had wavered only once, at the time of his death.

So now, even alone, he will stand firm holding onto it.

Shirou felt a delicate hand reach out to his arm.

"Then I shall accompany you," said Semiramis. "I don't have a lot of faith. But you should have plenty enough of that for the both of us, correct?"

He smiled. He supposed he wouldn't be alone at least.

"Enough for the whole world."

* * *

Mordred and her Master stopped just beyond the entrance of the land that Ruler's Caster had claimed for their faction. Kairi had woken just an hour ago before they had arrived, a bit lightheaded but in far better condition than before. At least he was in good enough shape to puff a smoke now.

"I don't like this."

"I know." Kairi stamped out his cigarette with his boot. "You've told me that a dozen times since I woke up already. But you know we don't have any other options if we want to get through this war till the end. We can't fight that priest and everyone else by ourselves. We have to pick a side. If there's a good side to be on, it'd be with a saint."

"No. Not that." Mordred stared at the mansion. "Shouldn't someone have greeted us by now?"

She was right. They had long passed the boundaries of Caster of Blue's territory. Though they'd been guests there before, it was unthinkable that they would be allowed to simply stride in unannounced.

Kairi slipped a hand inside his jacket and brought out his sawed-off shotgun. While it would make themselves look hostile to Ruler, he was in agreement with his Servant's intuition. Something was off.

"Can you sense any Servants?"

Mordred materialized her full gear, walking forward and checking the surroundings. She was quiet for a moment.

"There's a bounded-field that wasn't here before," she answered. "It's not dangerous, but I can't really sense anything more than a few feet away from me because of it. Probably the kind that dulls the senses and masks the presence of everything inside it."

"Must be Caster's work. I doubt they'll attack us without warning, but let's just be ready just in case. We'll just apologize later if its just us being paranoid."

After passing through the front yard, they walked cautiously up the brick steps towards the double doors of the mansion. Kairi went and knocked on the door.

No one answered.

"What now?" asked Saber.

"…I'm thinking."

"We don't have time to think. Who knows what that priest is going to do while we're here waiting for Ruler to answer her damn door."

"Maybe we can try sneaking in somehow?"

"I'm a Saber, not an Assassin!" The knight snarled and took out her sword. "Screw this! I can't handle all this delicate stuff!"

"What are you—!"

Mordred kicked the door open, sending them flying off their hinges and crashing inside. She strode forth inside without a care while her Master could only put a palm on his face.

"Ruler! Shifty-eyed bastard or whoever!" She stabbed her into the marble flooring. "Get out here already! We've got something to say to you!"

Her voice echoed loudly throughout the entire mansion. It was impossible for anyone to not hear all of noise they had made.

"You understand we're here to ask them for help, right?" sighed her Master. He had no choice but to follow in after his wild Servant. "Why did you break down the door? It wasn't even locked!"

"Oh?"

Mordred took a look at the damage she'd done. The doors she kicked had broken furniture on its way through a section of the wall. Ceramics, glass, and rubble now littered the once pristine lobby.

"Well, like you said earlier, we can just say sorry for that later," she grinned without remorse.

"You…" Kairi struggled to even find a response to that.

"What is with all that racket?"

A voice came from upstairs. Atalanta came into their view with a look of annoyance.

"Saber? What are you doing here?"

"Archer!" Mordred stepped in front of her Master to protect him.

Atalanta frowned in confusion at them.

"Are you trying to attack Ruler's faction?" she said. "You know we agreed to have an alliance with them, don't you?"

"Alliance?" Mordred repeated. She failed to understand why and how a Red Servant was here in Ruler's place.

 _"She doesn't know,"_ her Master told her through their mental link. _"At least I think she doesn't. I don't know why, but don't mention it."_

Kairi stepped pass his Servant nonchalantly as if nothing was wrong, putting his weapon away and raising his palms up.

"Hey there!" he greeted with a wave. "This is just a little misunderstanding. We're actually just here to have a talk with Ruler. We have no plans on attacking anyone here at all."

Atalanta turned her suspicious gaze from him to the damaged walls and the missing front door. A painting of a horse had been split in half when a door had took the animals front end. When her eyes landed on Mordred, the Servant at least had the decency to look away in shame.

"Right…" said Atalanta only half-convinced. "Try not to destroy anything else while your here. Trust me when I say you don't want to know what will happen if you cause any more trouble."

She came down to meet the two. This action was more than enough for the duo to confirm that the Archer of Red did not know yet what they'd done.

Mordred also noticed something else now that the Servant was close.

"You…" she said. "You lost your Master."

"Yes," Atalanta nodded. "I was on my way back after the meeting when I felt the mana connecting us severed. It was then shortly after that… Ruler offered her aid."

"Oh. That." Kairi coughed and tried to look as innocent as his looks could allow, which, given his face and attire, was close to impossible. "Uh, that's actually the reason we came here. We need to speak with Ruler as soon as possible. Really important that we do."

Atalanta, arms crossed, continued to stare at the two of them for a few moments before she answered.

"She's not here."

"Eh?"

"She received an emergency message from the priest a few hours ago. From what she told me, it seems that the Servants of Black had launched an all out attack. Ruler went to provide support."

The necromancer was dumbfounded.

"They were probably the one's responsible for killing my Master," said Atalanta seriously. "They must've taken advantage of us being away on the meeting. Really, if our Masters had trusted their Servants more, this kind of thing wouldn't have happened in the first place."

Kairi and Mordred shared a glance with each other. There was no way that was true. After all, the one responsible for the attack were standing right there. And they didn't understand what was going on.

The priest had to have known that they were the ones responsible. He should know that they would expose him.

Then the only reason why he had called out Ruler was…

"It's a trap," mumbled Kairi.

"Trap?" Atalanta narrowed her eyes. "What are you talking about, necromancer?"

Kairi wasn't sure how much he could say in front of her. She could be in on the whole thing with the priest, same as Caster of Red had been.

Suddenly, Mordred grabbed Atalanta from behind and put her sword to her neck.

"Should I just kill her, Master?"

Kairi thought about it.

"I wouldn't do that," warned Atalanta. "You'll die."

"You've got a lot of guts even in your situation," said Mordred.

"I'm just telling you what will happen."

"I'm only doing this because we can't be sure whose side your on."

The archer frowned at that.

"Listen, we don't have much time." Kairi decided that its better to explain now that its come to this. "Ruler is walking into a trap. That priest is—."

A large black spike sprouted forth in between Mordred and Atalanta, almost impaling the knight through her chin had she not noticed it in time. Atalanta quickly took her distance.

"Looks like we got here just in time."

Appearing from the broken doorway were Rider of Red and Lancer of Black.

"I'm here to pick you up, Sis."

* * *

"Rider?"

Atalanta gazed at the young man brimming with confidence striding into the mansion, his bright eyes and smile directed at her, unimpeded by the threatening aura Saber of Red was giving him. Atalanta did not want to admit it, but his familiar handsome and somewhat annoying face did lift her spirits a bit.

"I'm here to bring you back, Sis," he said proudly.

"I see." Atalanta should have been relieved, but the presence behind him complicated things. "And why is he with you?" she gazed at Vlad the Impaler, who stood back and watched indifferently.

This was the territory of the Blue faction, not to mention that they were allied with the Red faction. Atalanta could not understand why Rider would come here with a Servant of Black.

"Things got a bit complicated." Rider scratched his cheek. "Even I'm not completely sure what happened. As it turns out, that the priest had taken control of all the other Masters of Red with the exception of that necromancer over there. Really, I knew something wasn't right. We only really noticed it after he'd taken the Command Spells from our Masters." He sighed. "Dirty tricks aside, that priest did convince us to see it his way. It wasn't that hard since we were never really attached to our original Masters in the first place, and his wish was something we all approved of."

"His wish?" Atalanta frowned.

"Yeah," Rider nodded. He held out his hand to her. "Come with us, Sis. I swear to the gods that you're wish will be granted as well once we claim our victory. There won't be a need for us to fight amongst ourselves. Yours and his are much the same."

 _Save all the children._

She would happily give up her own life to see that wish fulfilled.

However…

"Rider." Atalanta remembered what the necromancer had said. She walked away, much to the confusion of Rider, standing in front of Saber of Red and her Master. "I need you to leave."

"…What?"

Atalanta stared at him with conviction.

"If you stay here, you'll die. I'm giving you this fair warning as we had been comrades together on the same side, if only for a short time. Leave now."

A heavy silence descended.

Saber of Red and her Master were just as stunned as Rider of Red.

"Are you joking, Sis?"

"I'm not."

"You realize you're choosing their side?" said Rider. He slammed the butt of his spear on the marble floor, cracking its perfect surface. "That will make you our enemy—my enemy! "

"I know."

Atalanta stood resolutely.

She understood. If she went with Rider of Red then the chances of her wish coming true, if what he had said was to be believed, would be guaranteed. However, that would mean making enemies with Ruler and her Servants.

Including Medea.

To betray her again…

"…Was your dream simply that fleeting? And here I thought it was beautiful."

"Rider…" Atalanta felt his frustration tug at her heart, but she could not afford to be swayed. "You don't understand. For your sake, I'm telling you to leave."

"How admirable." Lancer of Black snickered in contempt. "Your decision in turning this opportunity down is a mistake. However, your conviction in the face of adversity is truly something worthy of a hero, Archer of Red, though foolish as it may be. You side with Ruler, yet as of this time, she and her Servants will most likely have fallen into our trap. It does not matter. We came here to make sure that Ruler has nowhere to run to, with I as king personally making sure to receive her. That is, if she can even manage to return here."

"Wait—!"

The tall and pale King of Wallachia raised two fingers in gesture, cutting off Rider of Red.

"Watch out!" warned Saber of Red.

Atalanta did not need to dodge the black spikes that spewed forth from Lancer's long shadow. She couldn't even if she wanted to. She was still in a state of weakness from a lack of mana. However, she had no need to. This she knew.

For he was there.

The ceiling crumbled. Something heavy fell upon the darkened stakes of the Impaler, crushing them with its weight and sheer dominating existence. It rose slowly, a rising mountain of a man, his menacing glare piercing through the billowing dust at the shocked faces of the ones who had trespassed and tried to kill its Master's charge.

A guttural roar with immense pressure resounded.

"I told you, Rider," said Atalanta. "You'll die if you stay here."

Mouth agape, Achilles almost reacted too late when Berserker swung his large jagged rock sword at him. The strike sent him sailing through the mansion entrance like a baseball.

"That priest requested Ruler that she bring all her Servants to come to their aid. However, Ruler didn't want to leave me all alone while I was weakened, you see? So she left a familiar guardian by my side."

"Damn you!"

Lancer of Black discarded his haughty attitude. Even he knew that the one that stood before him a was powerful foe that he could not afford to belittle.

The earth shook as multiple narrow stakes sprouted out from the ground surrounding Berserker, trying to pierce every inch of him. Hundreds upon hundreds appeared that completely covered Berserker like a stack of black needles until nothing more could be seen of him but a dark pyramid of stakes.

Berserker roared and all of it shattered to pieces.

The black giant, unscathed and enraged, raised his nameless but brutal axe-sword and smashed it down in front of him. The earth-shattering wave of force that came forth blew away Lancer of Black and the entire front side of the mansion.

Atalanta watched as the greatest hero of Greece slowly walked forward, with no thought but crushing the lives of the enemies in front of him. Though his mind had been consumed by Mad Enhancement Skill, his great physical skills and abilities remained, boosted by the sacrificing the hero's mind. Though Atalanta thought greatly of Achilles' ability, she had never seen Heracles lose in all of their travels.

The greatest and most famous hero of Greece had descended upon this war.

From outside, she could hear him roar loudly once more, like the rumbling crack of thunder that proclaimed to the world of its overwhelming might.

She had warned him.

* * *

 _"I see the city just ahead."_

Ruler had set off immediately once they had received the message from the Red faction that they were under attack by the Black faction. With one of their Masters already dead and a Servant of theirs missing, they were hard pressed to defend themselves, requesting for immediate aid from their allies.

Archer had given his opinion that they should wait until the Servants weaken each other first, even possibly allowing a few deaths from the Red faction. He had said that it would make things simple and quick, allowing them to win the war easily with a low chance of casualty with the other sides expending their assets against each other.

It was the exact reason why each faction had been hesitant on clashing heavily with one another before.

However, Ruler was adamant about aiding their allies. And she was not one to break a promise.

Saber led the way as Ruler and the rest followed, with Archer the only other Servant missing among their ranks aside from Berserker, who had been left behind. The cheeky Archer had taken a position far off to overlook the upcoming battle. After all, an Archer's best position was in the rear.

 _"I don't see any signs of any Servants, friend or foe. There's a lot of fighting with golems and familiars, but the city itself seems to be empty."_

"That's good," said Ruler. "That means there won't be any innocents involved. It appears that they managed to at least evacuate the city."

Archer was silent, but Ruler could feel his reservations coming through their link.

"Should it really be this quiet?" asked Saber.

Though the city itself was in the middle of a war, with mostly golems and familiars battling in the streets, it was far too minuscule compared to a battle between Servants. While Servants and Masters were bound by the Holy Grail War in agreement to keep the existence of the war and magic from the rest of the world, battles between forces that wield powers of great magnitude tended to be hard to conceal. Often, there is a need to fix matters when situations get out of hand. And ever since the first war, the Church had been partly responsible in containing such matters.

As Ruler's gaze searched the city, the church bell sounded, followed quickly by a stone building two blocks away collapsing.

 _"I see them. The Servants are fighting. That priest is also there."_

"Let's go." Ruler nodded to Saber.

They were about to leave, however, she noticed that one of her Servants seemed preoccupied, looking at particularly nothing in the night sky. She raised a hand, almost as if wanting to touch the sky in front of her.

"Caster?" said Ruler.

"Something is strange here."

Before Ruler could ask anything a loud and bright blast of light arose from the city. She received an urgent update from Archer.

 _"More Servants of Black have appeared. I just saw Rider of Red get killed. The rest of the Red Servants are about to get wiped out. If you still want to make do with this alliance, I suggest we make a move now. Otherwise, there won't be anyone in the Red Faction left to be allies with aside from Archer of Red."_

"Move!" Ruler ordered. "We must help them!"

Everyone did as she commanded, even Caster, though hesitant.

As they entered the city, signs of destruction became apparent. The city roads were torn and blown apart and entire streets lay wasted into rubble. Golems and dragon-tooth warriors were fighting everywhere in a melee. The skeletal familiars were weaker compared to the large golems, but they made up for it in numbers, piling upon the golems like ants. The golems were stronger than them and could take down three with a single swing of their arms.

With five Servants by her side, Ruler broke through the cannon fodder of both sides easily, rushing forward towards the center of the city where the Red faction was. It didn't take long before they arrived to find an injured Shirou Kotomine, bleeding from his stomach and on the ground with his back against the wall, Saber of Black with his sword raised ready to deliver the killing blow.

"Lancer!"

Before his name even fully left Ruler's lips, the Hound of Culann was already halfway across the battlefield. Saber of Black found his blade blocked by Gáe Bolg, held and extended from its base by a grinning Lancer.

"Hey," said Lancer. "You look like a strong guy. Why don't you leave the weakling alone and let's have some fun!"

Lancer twisted Saber of Black's sword with his spear, spinning it left and right in a quick whirl of slashes and strikes that forced the German hero back.

Meanwhile, Ruler arrived and knelt down to check on the priest.

"How is he?" asked Assassin.

"He is…" Ruler frowned. "Something is wrong."

"On the contrary, I believe everything is as it should be."

The double doors of a nearby building were kicked open. Out of it strode out Caster of Red, appearing with a wink and a pompous bow towards Ruler. He beamed with absolute joy at them.

"Welcome, Maid of Orleans," he said. "And welcome to your gallant Servants as well. It brings me great joy that you've accepted our invitation to this glorious stage I made myself. Truly, I am honored by your presence and participation."

"Caster of Red?" said Ruler in confusion. Looking down, she saw only a wooden puppet where the priest had been. "What is the meaning of this?"

Lancer returned next to her with a click of his tongue. "Isn't it obvious? We've been played."

Just as he had said, Saber of Black took position next to the famous playwright. Soon, the other Servants of Red and Black joined them by their sides. Caster, Assassin, Lancer and Berserker from the Red faction. And with them where Saber, Berserker, and Rider from the Black faction.

"I knew we couldn't trust that damn priest," spat Cú Chulainn.

"Now, now," Shakespeare wagged his finger. "Please hold your critiques when the play has yet to commence. And trust me when I do say that my Master deeply regrets that we could not see our alliance through. Some unforeseen circumstances had forced him to make this decision, you see? However, do not fret. Though your situation is unfortunate, I am not the type of Servant suited for battle. I am merely here to set the stage, so to speak. A stagehand."

"You'll regret crossing us, you two-bit hack," said Medea venomously.

Shakespeare simply smirked in amusement.

"Where is your Master, Caster of Red?" demanded Ruler, showing no signs of backing down. She trusted the strength of the Servants with her. "Will he not show himself at least?"

"Well," hummed Shakespeare. "My old Master is currently recovering from a slightly unexpected incident, poor thing. However, our new Master has taken it upon himself to prove himself useful to our new allies."

Ruler eyed him suspiciously. "What are you saying?"

The writer's smile grew.

Ruler then realized she hadn't heard from Archer. She quickly tried to get in contact with him, but she received no reply.

"Bastard!" shouted Cú Chulainn, his face twisted in a snarl.

"Well then."

The Servants prepared to face off against one another.

"Shall we begin?"

* * *

As soon as they entered the city, Archer had lost contact with Ruler and the others. He knew then that something was wrong immediately.

He jumped off the tree he had been perched on. No sooner had he reached the ground, a hail of boulders pulverized the tree, decimating the area around it like it had been hit by a meteor shower. Then, the boulders stood from where they crashed, one by one, rising and lumbering towards him.

"Golems, huh?"

Archer materialized his black blade, Bakuya, in his hand, and with it, deflected the three Black Keys that came from behind him.

"Oh my, how strange." Shirou Kotomine walked casually into the moonlight, his sword in his hand, with an amused expression. "An Archer-class Servant wielding a sword? That is surprising." His amusement changed into a confused one when he stared at Archer. "Although, that is not the most surprising thing right now."

"I see." Unlike him, Archer's initial frown turned into a smirk as his eyes laid on the sword he was carrying. "So you're the cause of all this mess. I should've known." He shook his head with a sigh. "Not the first time a Servant had decided to subvert the Holy Grail War."

"…I'm not sure I quite understand."

"Oh, but I bet that you do."

Shirou Kotomine had no trace of emotion in his face, whilst Archer continued to smirk at him. The kind of smirk that told that he knew of the other one's secret.

"You're really full of surprises, aren't you, Archer of Blue?" The priest removed his sword from its sheathe, his purpose clear. "I don't suppose you would be one of those honorable and prideful types that would offer his name before fighting an opponent? Or maybe someone that thinks nothing much of introducing themselves like Rider of Black?"

"I'm not that kind of guy." Archer materialized Kanshou in his other hand. "Figure it out yourself, if you can live long enough. Not that I plan on giving you time to do so."

Archer charged at him swiftly with his swords, but the golems blocked his path. The golems were large and solid, capable of withstanding damages that would immediately kill most living beings. They were, however, no match for any Servant.

His white and black blade severed the heads and limbs of the earth puppets, making them crumble back to simple dirt.

The golems served their purpose, though, as Shirou Kotomine made use of their distraction and attacked as they had fallen, his blade thrusting from the very back of one of the collapsing golems. Archer managed to deflect it by a hair's width.

Continuing with the same tactic, the Master of Red did not fail to take advantage of the golems that sacrificed themselves, throwing themselves at the enemy and giving him ample chances to strike at the Servant of Blue. However, each time he did, he failed to make a critical strike. Though he did manage to land a few glancing blows.

He had planned on using this battle to test his own combat capabilities. And as he had suspected, his previous Servant parameters had returned, just as they had been in the previous war.

Even so, he felt no satisfaction from this.

Shirou Kotomine glared at Archer.

His opponent was much weaker than him, at least when strictly speaking of their parameters. He also belonged to a Servant class that was considered weak when it came to close combat. It was why he had chosen Archer to be his opponent and the reason Assassin of Red had agreed to his selfish act of endangering himself as a Master.

It shouldn't be a too difficult a fight.

And yet…

Archer cut down a golem to his left, then threw his blades at another, putting it down. Without pausing to pick up his thrown weapons, he made new ones in his hands and cut down the next.

Shirou Kotomine was puzzled as to how this Servant was able to keep up. It made his hidden identity even more of a mystery to him. Because as a Ruler-class Servant, Shirou Amakusa Tokisada possessed True Name Discernment that revealed a Servant's true name and entire status information. However, just as with the case of Saber of Red, he was unable to glean any relevant information.

"Frustrated, are we?"

Though the cheeky Servant baited him, Shirou Kotomine did not took rise from it. For he had long left such emotions behind him.

"Just a little curious," he answered back with a smile. "To my shame, I just can't seem to place which Heroic Spirit you are. For an Archer to be using such exotic twin swords… Surely you have to be someone of renown. Especially one so obviously experienced with them. Yet, I can't seem to recall ever hearing of such a hero. It would be unfortunate not to know the names of all the heroes on Ruler's side before you are all gone."

"Don't be too sure," said Archer. "Even if you were to defeat me here, the other Servants by Ruler's side will be enough for her to win this war. I consider some of them to be the strongest there is."

"Such as King Arthur?"

Archer was not pleased to have him know of that, but still he said, "She is a woman like no other. A hero like no other. You may know her identity, but I believe in the strength of her sword and her will. As long as Ruler has her by her side, I am confident they can handle whatever schemes you have."

"I have no reason to doubt your words," admitted Shirou Kotomine. "In fact, I honestly believe that fighting her would be an uncertainty, something that does worry me. However, there really is no need for us to do so."

"What are you—?!"

Archer then turned his gaze towards the city, realization having dawned on his face.

More boulders that came from above him tore his gaze away. They landed haphazardly around them. Slowly, more golems rose and came to encircle him. And Black Keys hovered just above them pointed at him.

"You…" Archer glared at the priest.

"It truly is a pity."

* * *

Achilles could see the clear night sky, the stars and constellations twinkling. He even saw the constellation of his mentor. For a moment the Greek hero wondered what he was doing staring at such a peaceful scenery. His dazed thoughts were shaken as he heard the rumbling roar, and then, his body moved even before his mind was fully aware of it. He flipped over the water fountain he'd crashed into just in time before the black giant slammed into it like a raging bull, crushing the already damaged fountain into bits.

Achilles landed far, hoping to keep his distance. Not only was Berserker's strength superior to his, but he was also surprisingly agile for his size.

"What the hell is that thing?"

"I take it that Master of yours did not know of that thing's existence?" Lancer of Black landed right next to him, glaring at Berserker, who rose up and seemed to tower above them both. "Even for a Berserker, it's parameters are overwhelming. Just who on earth is this man?"

A sliver of blood ran down Achilles' arm. He noted the bruise and injury on it with a frown. To him, that had meant that Berserker had Divinity, someone with the blood of a god running through their veins. He surmised that he most likely had Divinity higher than his given the amount of damage he had received. His immortality conveyed as his Noble Phantasm would be useless in this fight.

Berserker charged.

In a blink of an eye, he closed the distance between them, weapon raised and coming down at them, more likely to obliterate them with it than cut through them. Achilles and Lancer of Black dodged the attack, which split the earth and sent rocks and debris everywhere.

Achilles, not wanting to be pushed against any further, took this chance to go on the offense. He saw the silhouette of Berserker, turned away from him and looking at the way Lancer of Black had gone, and aimed a perfect thrust at the back of his head.

He was surprised when Berserker tilted his head, the Servant avoiding his spear completely without having been even looking at his direction.

"What?!" he cried out.

He retracted his spear just in time to block when Berserker swung his axe-sword down on him, though the immense weight of the swing had sunk his feet to the ground. He felt the pressure suddenly lighten, then a quick shock ran through his spine as he suddenly had to bend backward to avoid a massive leg swipe that he could have mistaken for the trunk of a tree swung at him. He dodged and parried as he was pushed to the limits of his concentration on trying to survive each and every successive storm of strikes that Berserker sent at him, each blow, if not deadly, was almost certainly crippling if it landed.

Rider of Red did not back down and countered and attacked when he could, but his opponent was equally impressive in his defense. Weak strikes Berserker did not bother with, for it did nothing to him, but any serious ones he was able to skillfully avoid or block with flexibility and nimbleness that did not fit someone of his stature.

The two were like a tornado as their movements blurred.

The hero of the Trojan war felt intimidated, but at the same time he was also exhilarated. Rarely had he ever experienced such an intense battle before where he was the one being pushed back, his very hands shaking from either the excitement or the crazy strength of his opponent.

Though Berserker was fast, Achilles was a step faster. Instead of pulling back as he had been doing, he pushed closer towards his opponent, dodging a massive cleave that would have torn him in half and slashing his spear upward at Berserker's face. Berserker raised his chin and avoided it, but it had accomplished Achilles' purpose.

"Impressive," said Achilles with a grin. "But remember that I'm not the only one you're fighting!"

Black stakes rose all around Berserker and pinned his body, and adding on to this, Achilles put all of his strength into his spear and jammed it straight through the giant's leg, preventing him from moving. For that, Berserker had broken through the stakes that held his arm and smacked the hero away.

"Your body certainly tests the limits of my power, Berserker." Lancer of Black hung in the air, standing on one single tall black stake, with an almost uncountable amount of stakes flowing upwards in the sky behind him. "Then I shall grant you the honor of taking its amount in full. Prepare yourself for this king's judgment! I hereby sentence your death!"

Berserker roared once more as the tidal wave of stakes rolled into one and crashed into him, continuing to come down on him like a pressurized hose. Lancer of Black did not cease until he had spent every stake he had, encouraged and threatened by Berserker's ceaseless roar that could still be heard even as he was continuously beaten down and drowned in stakes of black.

Then, finally, silence descended, and so did Lancer of Black once he was spent. The Lord Impaler, clear in his face the exertion he had done, examined the scene up close.

"Such a frightening warrior…" he murmured.

Berserker stood still with arms wide, chest bared, and his mouth hanging open. However, there was no longer any signs of life in him, as most of his body was covered and pierced by Lancer of Black's stakes. He was now simply a lifeless statue of an angry dark god posed in a last absolute act of defiance.

"He alone could match an army." Lancer of Black was awed. He had not thought a single Servant would be capable of forcing him to such a degree. "If I could have had him serve under me… I need not worry of losing any war.

"I'd like to say it was an easy fight, but… I'd be poor liar in my current condition."

Rider of Red had gotten up, clutching his aching chest as he gazed up with a slightly battered but smug smile on his face.

"Toss that back will you?" he asked.

"Though overshadowed by this giant, I can't say I was unimpressed by your performance as well, Rider of Red." Lancer of Black praised Achilles. He pulled out Rider's spear from Berserker's leg. "You, too, have proved yourself worthy of a vassal that could serve under me. Perhaps there was wisdom in agreeing to this alliance your Master proposed. Dealing with this maddened beast alone would have been difficult, for your side and mine."

Lancer threw the spear and Rider caught it by the shaft, its tip stopping just right between his eyes. "I'll take the compliment, but I don't think this was a very nice way to treat a comrade."

"If that had been enough to kill you, then I'd be disappointed."

"Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint a king now, would I?" Rider of Red smiled wryly, leaning tiredly on his spear.

Just then, another Servant appeared away from them. Lancer of Black remained relaxed as he knew the identity of the Servant. Meanwhile, Rider of Red was stunned by his appearance. Chiron, his mentor, turned out to be a Servant participating in the war.

But there was no heartfelt reunion or congratulations on a job well done.

Chiron had appeared with a gentle and calm look, the same one that Achilles had always remembered when the centaur taught him his lessons. But then, as he approached and recognized the lumbering porcupined body, it was quickly replaced by one of shock, then of fear and panic.

"Get away!" he shouted desperately as he began to run toward them. "Both of you get away from him, quickly!"

Both Servants did not notice the red pulse of madness that once more glowed in the eyes of Berserker behind them.

"W-What?!"

The black stakes that pierced his body broke and shattered. In his hand, Berserker held the one responsible for his death.

"Unhand me, you barbarian!"

"Lancer!" shouted Achilles.

Slam.

The earth trembled at the force at which Berserker slammed Lancer of Black down. The King of Wallachia spat out blood from his mouth. Slowly, he raised his hand, trying to summon his stakes. However, Berserker proceeded to pummel him with his fists, roaring without pause as he punched faster and faster.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Each blow shook the earth, while Achilles and Chiron could only gape in shock at the brutality. Finally, with a slight pause, Berserker raised both his arms high, and then, slammed his fists straight down. The ground did not just shake this time; a wide area of it crumbled and broke from the force of the blow, creating a wide crater from its center.

Once the dust had settled, there was nothing of Lancer of Black left. The Servant and King that led the faction of Black had been defeated.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

And with his defeat, Berserker cried out in triumph.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **It's been a while. I've been a bit busy. Gone abroad and have been sick for like half a month and still recovering if people wanted to know why I haven't updated. Will also be moving soon.**

 **I was hoping to finish more of the story in this chapter before posting it, but if I waited, it might take more time before I'm able to post it because of all the stuff I need to deal with.**

 **Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:**

 **So I guess everyone liked the last chapter with Berserker. I counted over 150 reviews for that. It's the most reviews I've ever had on a single chapter from all my stories. If he's that popular I don't really understand why I don't see him a lot in other fan fics on here. Even I want something like that to read. Or maybe the fics I've been reading is just coincidentally always Berserker-free.**

 **Anyway, I want to say that I've been stuck in a rut lately so I haven't been making as much progress as I'd like to with writing. Studying electricity and magnetism for school along with data algorithms and such are also compounding on it.**

* * *

"Stupendous! Marvelous! Amazing!"

William Shakespeare could not help but blurt out such words as he watched the raging battle from the sidelines, his hand furiously scribbling notes on a parchment as his eyes glittered with awe and excitement at the rest of the Servants locked in deadly combat with one another. His heart raced and sang hymns of praise and applause at every clash. Heaven and earth shook as the legendary heroes of old prove their tales and prowess.

A long-haired and blindfolded beauty twisted and turned as she evaded the rough and barbaric swings of a laughing brute that sought to pin her down. She manipulated her chains like a charmed snake as they whipped and pierced Berserker of Red's limbs. However, the gladiator did not slow down at all in his relentless pursuit. He grinned maniacally as he tore through buildings to get at her, throwing debris and whatever he could grab in arms length at her.

"These chains of oppression cannot hold me!" Spartacus laughed as he pulled off the chains that held his arm, breaking free. "Come, Servant of the oppressor! As futile as it is, you cannot stop me! Come!"

Rider of Blue planted her lithe body low to the ground, avoiding his wide swing. She pushed on the ground and kicked her heel directly onto Berserker of Red's chin. Though a powerful blow that should have broken his jaw, his mad grin only grew wider at her.

Medusa pulled back her chains to her. "A troublesome Servant…"

Crashing through behind the two was another Berserker. Frankenstein's monster held her electrifying mace tightly as she glared at Assassin of Blue, whose nodachi glinted in the shadows from where she'd came. His outline became visible through the darkness as he stood underneath the moonlit sky.

"What's wrong?" asked Sasaki Kojirou with a faint smile, his long katana resting on his back in a relaxed manner. "Are you content on simply retreating? Will you not show this simple swordsman a glimpse of that wild beauty of yours?"

Berserker of Black growled in response. A long and thin gash on her arm was the consequence of her getting near the fragile-looking Servant. Her wild instincts and use of the terrain were the only reason she hadn't gotten any worse damage. It was clear to her that she couldn't take him lightly.

"You're quite level-headed for a Berserker," mused Kojirou. He spared a momentary glance at Berserker of Red, who kept laughing with glee as he swung after his opponent with reckless abandon. "Quite unlike that one or our own. Still, you also appear to be weaker for it. Though, I suppose that points in my favor."

Berserker of Black growled at him in a threatening manner, clearly voicing her displeasure at being underestimated.

"Ah, so sorry," he apologized sincerely. "I did not mean to belittle you. I'm just aware of how fortunate I am to have you as my opponent. Do not worry." He leveled his sword at her. "I still find you're pretty little head to be something worth taking."

Standing atop them on the rooftops, Lancer of Blue and Saber of Black were once more locked into combat, the friction between spear and sword igniting sparks reflected in the eyes of both warriors.

"Not bad," grinned Cú Chulainn. "As expected of a Saber-class Servant, you seem like an honest kind of fighter. No tricks or whatever. For once I can look forward to having a simple straight up fight."

He pulled back his spear and deflected his opponent's sword. He made a short but deadly thrust that would have taken down lesser skilled warriors instantly, however, the one before him didn't count as one of them. Siegfried had recognized the danger and managed to parry the attack, though not completely.

"…But maybe it's not as simple as I thought it would be," frowned the Irish hero. He eyed him suspiciously. "Either I was too arrogant with my own strength, or your skin is just a lot thicker than it looks."

Siegfried remained silent. However, there was a bare shadow of amusement on his face as he touched the spot on his neck where the spear had nicked him.

"Have nothing to say, Saber of Black?" questioned Cú Chulainn. He leveled his spear in his arms pointed at his opponent. "I guess that doesn't matter. Fighting is all the conversation warriors like us will need. Isn't that right?"

The two collided once again causing a wave of force coming from their impact.

And even higher above those two fighting in the rooftops, the sky was not free from the sparks of battle. Piercing beams of bright lights lit up the scattered across the open sky.

"An Assassin mimicking as a Caster?" said Medea. "How pretentious."

Her magecraft manifested three beams of light from the spell circles that floated above her.

Semiramis summoned a scaled barrier that blocked them. "That just proves I'm twice as capable."

"Is that so?" laughed Medea. She waved her staff and an array of spell circles appeared, more than three times the number as earlier. "Then this should be quite easy for you?"

Semiramis frowned. Though having been born in the Age of Gods and having knowledge of magecraft, she could tell that the Caster-class Servant of the Blue Faction was no novice or pretender like their own. With Medea being one of the top skilled magicians in the world, the Queen of Poison wasn't far off in her guess.

There was a flash of light from down below. Face to face in open ground of what used to be numerous structures, the Son of the Sun God and the Once and Future King stared intensely at one another with their weapons bared. The land around them were covered in flames, barren and scorched, reflecting the searing intensity between the two. The blows between them had leveled any objects that stood higher than their knees.

"A worthy opponent, indeed."

"I am of the same opinion of you as well," smiled Saber. She held her invisible sword with both hands close to her head. "You are strong. It is a shame that we cannot share our names with one another due to the rules of this war. It is an honor that we are denied."

"I share that same sentiment," nodded Lancer of Red. "Though there is no need to mention our names to prove ourselves to one another. The fire in our eyes are enough to show clearly enough what we are capable of."

Arturia felt the prickle of danger on the back of her neck. She turned moved her head to dodge the fiery beam that came from Karna's right eye. The beam landed behind her, incinerating a chunk of the land.

Instead of being surprised, the King of Knights made a small smile and readied herself again. "I expect no less from a hero of such caliber."

Caster of Red was practically gushing as he watched while he struggled between switching his notes as his quill appeared to have never left a single sheath of paper. To be a spectator of such a glorious event that one could not even dream of seeing in their lifetime… For a man of the pen rather than the sword, it was a time that he hoped would never end.

Alas… Shakespeare's quill stopped on a dot. The writer glanced down at another, far more quiet battle compared to the others.

"Truly a shame to see such a spectacle end," he sighed. "Such cruelty it is to be the one to call for the finale. However, it is true that all tales must end. Even the best ones."

* * *

Ruler noted the conditions of her Servants.

Everyone appeared to be handling themselves well. She, however, worried for Archer. With the Red and Black factions joining together, that meant not all of the Servants of Red and Black were accounted for.

"There, there, there!"

Even as her thoughts continued to worry about other matters, she herself fought as well. She dodged the thrusts from Rider of Black's ornate golden lance. Even though all her parameters were a rank lower than if she'd been summoned normally as a Ruler, she still had the capabilities of a Saber-class Servant.

It was all too easy for her.

Ruler sighed as she lowered her flagstaff that held her standard .

"What's the matter?" asked Rider of Black confusedly. "Giving up already? Well, I won't blame you if you think you're no match for one of the great Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne, but you really shouldn't—"

"Why are you going easy on me, Rider of Black?"

Astolfo stiffened. The beautiful boy knight laughed nervously as his eyes stared elsewhere.

"I-I don't know what you mean," he said. "I've been giving it my best, you know? Maybe you're just a lot stronger than you think? Or it could be that I'm really just weak." He nodded to himself as if it was already a fact. "Everyone else here is just too strong. That's really just too unfair, right? I can't even imagine fighting with those gu—"

"Your attacks lack conviction," cut off Ruler, glaring at him. "Why are you holding back? You've identified yourself as knight, yet you show your enemy such a poor act." Astolfo flinched at that. "You know that for a knight it is an insult to his opponent to display nothing but one's best. Why is it that you are not taking this fight seriously?"

The young looking knight looked away guiltily, unable to meet Ruler's reproachful gaze. There was a bitterness in that androgynous face of his that couldn't seem to say what he wanted to. His Master made sure of that.

"That is because he was never meant to defeat you."

Caster of Red stepped out from gates of a destroyed house. Ruler watched the man intently, readying her weapon. Though he had not participated at all in the battles as he had promised, she was wary of him. There was no telling what kind of tricks a Servant like him could be up to.

"Just as that doll was never meant to hold your attention for long." The playwright pointed to the doll that had once been the priest that now laid forgotten on the ground at Ruler's back.

"What is your Master planning, Caster?" asked Ruler.

"Why, it is to make a wish, of course. Surely it is the very same reason why everyone here is participating in this Great Holy Grail War."

Ruler didn't believe it was something so simple as that. There was an anomaly in this war that had caused her summoning and those Servants under her.

"As much as I would like to recite the entirety of the story to an eager maiden, you only have but a short time ahead of you."

Ruler did not understand the look of disappointment from Caster of Red and the regretful one that Rider of Black had. Their faces became a little hard to distinguish through the cold and heavy fog surrounding them. She hadn't noticed it earlier, but light mist in the area had turned into a dense fog that shrouded her and Rider of Black as they had fought.

She also failed to notice the doll that had quietly stood back up on its feet from the ground behind her.

 _ **"MaRIa tHe RiPpEr!"**_

Feeling the sudden appearance of murderous intent, Ruler turned quickly angling her body to the side on reflex to avoid the danger. She felt the blade cut through her side, a lot more shallowly than if she had reacted too late.

Her eyes went to the small child that stepped lightly beside Caster of Red.

"You are… Assassin of Black?"

Ruler fell to her knees as soon as she said so, coughing up blood. She stared at the gash on her side. There was a greenish-black malevolent aura that emanated from it.

"It is unfortunate, but this is where your story ends, Saint of Orleans," said Caster of Red.

Unimaginable pain assaulted Ruler. Even the fire that burned her to death had not caused her to suffer as such. She struggled to stand, but it was hard for her to even raise her head.

In the end, she could only scream.

* * *

Archer felt the stinging cut on his shoulder. His momentary distraction had almost cost him his arm had he not pulled back in time. His opponent was not one he could afford having such lapses in his focus. Still, his attention continued to be elsewhere.

"It appears that the plan was a success."

Archer glared at the the priest. Father Shirou paused briefly with a satisfied gaze at the city. Parts and rubble of golems lay across the ground, with yet even more of them standing menacingly ready at any moment to throw themselves at their enemy.

"There is no saving your Master now, Archer. And along with her, the rest of her Servants will fall as well. However, your Caster will likely linger if her mana capacity is large enough. You yourself would probably have several days or so with your Independent Action skill."

Archer already knew where this was going.

"And what? You want me to join you, is that it?" he asked.

"…I'll admit that I had planned on doing so." Shirou Kotomine stared hard at Archer, eyes filled with cold and calculating thoughts. "But after fighting with you, I feel that my ideal isn't something you'd agree with. I feel as if your continued existence will be detrimental to my goal. I'm sorry, but I'll have to strike you down here. If Caster of Blue remains alive, then I'll have to be simply content on securing her aid."

Archer chuckled. "A wise decision. However, it bothers me that you think that you already won."

Archer took a deep breath. His muscles relaxed.

The enemy had them cornered. They had been caught in their trap. He could feel Ruler's life slowly ebbing away through their bond as Servant and Master.

There was no longer any time to think about holding back.

Shirou Kotomine felt the build up of mana around him. The golems charged at Archer as he fired and threw his Black Keys.

 _ **"I am the bone of my sword."**_

Swords manifested above Archer. They fell like piercing rain and struck down the golems and Black Keys that targeted him.

"What?!"

"I really don't have the time to continue being your training partner or whatever." Archer raised his blades, Kanshou and Bakuya, over his head. "As of now, you should consider seriously if trying to stop me is worth the cost of your life."

 _ **"Trace: Overedge."**_

* * *

"That's strange. Why are you still alive?"

In a daze, Ruler raised her head after vomiting a pool of blood on the ground. Staring down at her was the innocent face of a child tilted in question, curious at her apparent struggle for survival even as she continued the feel as though the pain from her torso melt her insides and spread.

"You should be dead."

"A resistance to curses, is it?" answered Caster of Red, rubbing his chin. "However, Assassin of Black's blades had also been coated with a myriad of poisons from our very own faction's Assassin. Suffice to say that my Master anticipated you're resilience and wanted to be thoroughly prepared. I am sorry to say, but it will only add to your suffering now that you've been wounded."

The pitying voice of the writer seemed to fail to reach Ruler as the pain coursed through her insides. Due to the abnormal nature of her summoning, multiple restrictions had been placed upon her. Her ability to resist curses had been lowered. And now, with the addition of Assassin of Red's poison, the curse slowly but surely ate away at her life.

"Do you want to die?" asked Assassin of Black.

Never before had she felt such pain. No fire that burned had ever felt as painful. It was hard enough just to breathe, let alone speak. It was a miracle that she was even on her knees at that point.

Though unable to speak, Ruler answered with a glare of resolution in her eyes. She remained determined to fight.

"Great!" cheered Assassin of Black with a clap. "That means we get to play more!"

The knives she had in her hands spoke of the type of play the Servant had in store.

Ruler stabbed her flagstaff into the ground and raised her body, pushing past her immense pain through sheer force of will.

"I… will not fall here," said Ruler, finally managing to speak. "I cannot! For those who have placed their faith in me, I have a duty to stand until the very end!"

Assassin's blade struck faster than a blink of an eye, only inches away from Ruler's neck.

It had never touched her.

The blade hurtled and spun back in the air, narrowly missing Caster of Red who had actually dropped his quill in surprise.

"Magnificently said." A Servant placed himself between his Master and his enemies, his long katana reflecting the moonlight on its sharp edge. "Truly, your beauty shines even in this murky fog."

"…Assassin?" said Ruler, her breath short.

The wily samurai vanished in a blur. Sparks flew as he intercepted the attacks of the enemy Assassin who aimed at Ruler. His sword flowed swiftly and deftly through the air, knocking back thrown daggers that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. He stepped to one side, avoiding the unseen form of Jack the Ripper attacking from the fog. He twisted his hand and countered with a quick jab of his hilt to her side. She sputtered and backed off.

"What's the samurai doing here?" complained Shakespeare. "Shouldn't you be fighting Berserker of Black? Just what is she doing?"

No sooner had he said that when said Berserker came grunting out of the depths of the fog, swinging her electrified mace at the samurai Assassin, who nimbly avoided her strikes and retreated once more to Ruler's side.

As soon as he'd felt his Master's distress, he had stealthily made his way back to her. It had been a simple matter for an Assassin like him to break off from a battle against Berserker-class Servants that usually relied solely on their brute strength.

Shakespeare clapped. In front of him were Rider, Assassin, and Berserker of the Black Faction. Even if the writer had no intention of fighting, it would be extremely difficult for Assassin to handle the others by himself. And Ruler was in no state to give him any assistance.

"A wandering samurai from the far east," he said. "I am curious about your story, however, your part is but a minor one in this grand tale. But I see you've come to play the role as the man that attempts to protect his lady, and die as a couple in this tragic end. Because surely you cannot hope to win against this odds?"

Assassin smiled slyly at him. "While I would cherish the opportunity to impress my dear Master, I am but a simple swordsman."

Then, a sudden gust of pressure pressed down from above them and forcefully blew away Assassin of Black's dense fog, revealing everything and everyone inside. Hovering down from the sky with her cloak spread out and her staff held high was Medea, scowling in apparent rage. Pulsating magic circles spread across the skies.

"I shall leave it to her to make up for my inadequacy."

Light rained down upon them as Medea's magecraft coalesced and fired rapid volleys of deadly beams. Shakespeare and his allies scattered quickly, leaving the earth they had stood upon to be obliterated by the bombardment. The spells carpeted outward in a semi-circle, fanning out with Ruler and Sasaki at its center.

"Master?" Medea landed next to Ruler, concerned for her Master. "What happened? You're wounded. Let me see." She frowned as she closely examined it. "This is… We need to get you quickly away from here."

Rider appeared next to them, her chains dangling to the ground. Soon the rest of the Blue Servants joined them. All of them had tried their best to break off from their battles once they felt the danger to Ruler's life.

"Rider, I need you to carry her back quickly to the mansion," said Medea. "Her condition is—"

"I'm afraid that won't do."

William Shakespeare's figure slowly became visible through the dark smoke that came after Medea's bombardment. Though the foppish man did not appear fazed, parts of his outfit and a bit of his hair were singed. Astolfo was on the ground near him, grumbling and coated in soil with his posterior pointed up. Berserker of Black pushed away a crumbling wall with Jack right behind her. The other Red and Black Servants came and regrouped with them as well.

"My Master wishes for the maiden's death," he said. "Therefore we cannot allow her to leave."

Saber of Black and Lancer of Red both stepped forward together. They brought their weapons close to their chests, the air around them crackling as their mana gathered. Power radiated from their forms. It was clear to everyone present that the two were preparing to unleash a strong attack. Each was strengthened further by a Command Spell from their Masters.

Noble Phantasms.

The crystalized mysteries formed from human imagination that embodies and symbolizes the legendary existence of what humanity call as heroes. They appear as physical weapons or even abstract concepts directly manifested for Servants to use as their trump cards.

And now, the two most powerful Servants of Red and Black present are calling upon them.

"Master." Artoria called to Ruler. "I know you are in great pain. However, I will need your assistance if we wish to make it through this. For you, my Master, I have sworn to protect. In this war, I wield my sword in your name." Her eyes shone with conviction. "Ask of me and I shall weather the fiercest winds, the most violent storms, and the quaking earth. I will not let you fall here, this, I swear."

For that brief moment, Ruler felt the pain fade away at the words of the King of Knights. Her faith renewed. Her shaking hands steadied.

She nodded.

"Stand close to me," said Saber to her and her companions.

Artoria took several steps and turned to face their enemies. She plunged her sword to the ground, her hands holding onto the hilt as she stood proudly on the vanguard. Her resolute gaze never once wavered. In that single moment, her full regal aura gushed for all to see.

Saber of Black and Lancer of Red saw her clearly. In the hearts of these two warriors, they quietly nodded their respects for her bravery and smiled. Enemies though they were, the two approved of her conviction.

And then, they opened with the words that triggered their Noble Phantasms.

 _ **"O' Brahma, curse me… Brahmastra Kundala!"**_

 _ **"O sword, Let thee be filled… Balmung!"**_

Their weapons shone brightly, charged with a great amount of mana. Lancer of Red, the Son of the Sun God, his spear turned into fire. Saber of Black, the Dragon-Blooded Knight, his sword glowed with orange light. The flames of the sun and the color of twilight burst forth. Karna threw his spear and Siegfried slashed down with his sword. Two great Noble Phantasms barreled towards her.

"Saber—no, Artoria Pendragon!" shouted Ruler. " I leave my life in your hands. With this Command Seal I give you my order. Protect us with all your might!"

Artoria raised her hand. She, too, brought out her Noble Phantasm. A true artifact of her life that had been returned to her and signified as a token of the one she loved.

 _ **"Come forth, Avalon!"**_

A bright and blinding golden light shone from the tip of her fingers. Once the light faded slightly, everyone was able to see a clear view of the hallowed scabbard of Excalibur floating in front of her. After that brief moment of clarity, it dissipated into tiny particles of golden light, scattering and quickly engulfing her and those behind her. For a brief moment, those inside saw a different world. A domain of vibrant greenery bathed in holy light everywhere.

The combined Noble Phantasms of Karna and Siegfried hit the barrier. The fiery power behind them was frightening, seemingly threatening to wash away the very existence of whatever was in its path. However, no matter how much it pushed against the Bounded Field of the fairies, it could not pierce through. Finally, the Noble Phantasms ignited into an explosive blast.

But the Everdistant Utopia of the King of Britain stood without a scratch.

Everyone that bore witness to this on both sides were in awe. The magical sheath that was the embodiment of King Arthur's utopia was breathtakingly beautiful. The ideal and mythical paradise made real for however briefly.

"A masterpiece…" William Shakespeare had spoken softly with tears flowing down his cheeks. "Truly, I am a most fortunate man to have witnessed such a miracle. I… cannot express myself with the proper words, for once. But woe, for even after such a magnificent display, this tale will not end simply at that."

No sooner had that moment of clashing powers ended, Medusa had quickly picked up Ruler in her arms and dashed away. Projectile spells and daggers followed on her trail.

Cú Chulainn appeared and flicked them away with his spear. "Not gonna happen."

Just as the enemy Servants attempted to chase them in pursuit, a string of arrows fell from the sky at their feet and detonated, halting them. Several of them that tried to push through, batted away more that targeted them.

"Do not let them get away!" hissed Assassin of Red. "We must pursue!"

"No."

Assassin of Red turned in surprise at Saber of Black's one-word statement. The knight had stopped and did not make any move to ready a pursuit, and so did the rest of the Servants of Black.

"What do you mean, no?" she asked. "Their Master is close to death! It doesn't matter if their Saber can continue to use her Noble Phantasm to protect them. It will only be a matter of time before victory is ours, and you want to let them go?! Where are you going?!"

The Servants of Black turned and started to leave.

"Our Masters have ordered our return," stated Saber of Black. "If you wish to pursue them, then we won't hold you back. But we shall not give our aid, either."

Assassin of Red chewed at her lip. Going after Ruler with just the Red Servants would be folly. It was true that Ruler was at death's door, but her Servants still remained. And given by her own battle had gone earlier where she'd been forced to be on the defensive, it wouldn't be wise to continue without support.

Who knows what Ruler's Servants would do when backed into such a corner.

Assassin of Red and the other Red Servants remained in the smoldering battlefield, having just watched their enemies flee and their allies retreat. A lull had fallen from the earlier sounds of weapons clashing. It was replaced by the slightly audible sound of the Queen of Poison's teeth gnashing in frustration and the scribbles of a quill on paper.

"And so the story continues…" whispered Shakespeare, shutting his notes with a snap.

* * *

"Is that so? It's too late, then. Let's regroup for now. We'll discuss this further later."

Shirou Kotomine sat atop of a collapsed golem, one of the many that littered the battleground around him. Black Keys and black and white swords stuck out like needles of a porcupine from the ground, the trees, and the bodies of Caster of Black's earthy golems.

He sighed after cutting off the mental link from Assassin of Red's report.

He watched curiously as the curved swords of Archer began to dissipate, leaving only the very real damages it had wrought. They were C rank swords, the same as his Miike Tenta Mitsuyo that Caster had made for him. Though not highly ranked, he thought them unique. However, when Archer started conjuring them again and again, creating copies after copies during their battle… it was quite surprising for him.

Archer had used such Noble Phantasms as disposable tools, as if they mattered little, throwing them everywhere at every chance he could. And given by the amount he'd brought out, Shirou was inclined to believe so.

"Interesting." Caster of Black spoke beside him whilst he knelt examining one of his destroyed golems. "That Servant appears to be more than he seems."

Their ability to home in on enemies proved quite difficult for them to deal with. Shirou had nearly lost his head if not for Caster of Black using a golem to intercept the blades that he had avoided that had boomeranged back after a few moments.

"Ruler's other Servants also proved to be more resilient," said Caster of Black. "You had failed to mention that."

Shirou picked up his blade and stepped down. "I had said that there Saber was strong. I claimed to know little of the rest. Though I cannot be wholly blamed for being optimistic of our chances of defeating them. We had them outnumbered."

"Archer of Red did not join us as you had said. She chose to side with Ruler. Saber of Red and her Master will likely do the same. Meanwhile, our Lancer was killed by their Berserker, who turns out to be the great Greek hero Heracles. His death is a great blow to us. You cannot fault our Masters for falling back and doubting your claims of providing them a quick and easy victory with such results."

The Yggdmillenia clan had ceased cooperation temporarily. Darnic had refused to follow through, doubtful of Shirou. Their tentative alliance had been born quickly, and thus with the death of his very own Servant, the elder of the mage clan had reason to suspect him of weakening their faction as part of an elaborate plan.

Shirou would be lying if he had not thought of it.

"Ruler was wounded by Assassin of Black as we had planned," he said, dusting his pants. "The curses and poisons from her blade would be certain death, even for the most hardy of Servants. If we had pushed them, they would have fallen."

"And how many would we have lost?" asked Caster.

"It wouldn't have mattered. Our victory would have been assured."

"Ours?" Caster of Black paused as he watched him. "Or yours?"

Mistrust amongst Masters of a Holy Grail War. It was a common theme. It was one of the reasons why Shirou had usurped control of the Red faction for himself. Cooperation was easier when only he had to make all of the decisions and plans.

"Darnic wishes for you to visit the Fortress of Millenia," informed Caster. "I doubt he is pleased right now. If you want to continue this alliance, I suggest you make haste."

Caster of Black left soon after.

Shirou held to the cross that hung on his neck. "Guidance through adversity or dissatisfaction of my ideals? I supposed I'll see which inevitably at the end."

* * *

 **Story progression is proceeding at an okay pace. Not great, but at least its still going.**

 **As much as I wanted to write the battles between Servants in this chapter into scenes of epic proportions like with Berserker, I really need to get through this part of the story so maybe I could make faster progress. Not that they won't have epic battles. It's just not in this part of the story yet.**


	11. Chapter 11

The Knight of Treachery could not stand still. She paced uneasily, back and forth in front of her Master, who was casually taking a smoke as he sat on the part of the stone steps that remained undamaged.

Large swaths of the courtyard lay wasted, with bits of the front of the mansion spread out in a rubble all over the place. Once elegantly laid bricks were up-heaved, an obliterated fountain sputtered spouts of water, and shrubs were torn and burned and on fire. It was a scene reminiscent to the urban destruction that resulted from a bombing.

"…We should have gone there."

Her Master sighed, seeming to have expected it.

"You know all we can do is wait, right?"

"And what if Ruler get's killed out there while we're here with our thumbs up our assess, huh?! If she goes, so does our chance of ever winning this war! We can't win against all those Servants by ourselves!"

"I know your frustrated, but we're not in a state to help them."

Her Master let out a deep puff of smoke. The debilitating effects of the poison hadn't completely cleared up yet. His condition would leave him vulnerable in the battlefield. And Mordred couldn't just leave him here.

Not with Archer of Red still present.

She still didn't trust the Masterless Servant even after she had clearly sided with them. With no clear Master contracted to her, she could easily switch sides the moment she found out that Ruler's defeat was certain. The huntress could even use her Master as an offering to return to her old side's good graces.

"…Sorry."

Mordred stopped. Her Master understood their situation better than she did.

"It's not like it's your fault…" Mordred grumbled.

"If Ruler was killed, then her Servants would disappear as well," he continued. "Save maybe their Archer or Caster. But all the rest would quickly vanish. That is unless they quickly agreed to join with the other side, if they were offered to."

In a normal Holy Grail War, a Servant would be paired with a Master. One who would provide the necessary mana for them to continue to stay tethered to this world and allow them to use their abilities. Servants were strong. If killing a Servant proved difficult, then killing their Master would be a far easier solution.

It was already a long established and effective tactic.

And while having another Servant as a Master had advantages, it also proved to be a glaring weakness easily exploited, which the opponents this time had made use of. Disposing of Ruler would effectively wipe out the Blue Faction.

"I know you're worried about it. You've been waiting and preparing for it ever since you heard. And because of me, you might never get the chance to—"

Mordred grabbed him by his lapels, glaring at him with annoyance. "Stuff it. I already told you that it ain't your damn fault." She released him. "And don't go assuming you know what I want. All I want is to win this damn thing. Don't go making stuff up."

Kairi was a bit surprised. He couldn't help but smile at his Servant that refused to look at him.

Mordred refused to admit she had been expecting to meet her father. Her heart dreaded their meeting, but it had also been anticipating it.

"It's not easy to just stand around here doing nothing with that thing over there, too…"

Mordred glanced over to the side, over by the gardens where Berserker stood still as a statue. The hulking Servant had not given chase once Rider of Red and Archer of Black had left the territory. Those two had fled after a brief exchange of words with one another, leaving Lancer of Black's death unavenged. They hadn't even tried.

Well, not that Mordred or Kairi could blame them.

"If you had to, do you think you could take him?" asked Kairi.

Mordred couldn't immediately answer him. The fact that she couldn't be sure that even King Arthur could win against the man made it hard for her to see her own self winning against him. Berserker was just that much of a monster. And she had fought literal monsters before.

"That bad, huh?" sighed her Master.

"I didn't say anything."

"Just the fact that you hadn't answered saying you could beat him up says a lot."

"T-That—!" Mordred gritted her teeth at the truth of his words. "That's bullshit! I'm the strongest and greatest knight of the King of Britain! There's no way I would lose to that!" She stamped her foot and even shook her hand at Berserker, with her Master wondering what the hell she was doing. "Hey!" she shouted to the statue. "Don't think standing there makes you look intimidating! I'm not afraid of you! You're just a big muscle-headed idiot! I'll beat you up if you think you could win against me!"

Her attempts at proving her bravery were received with nothing but complete silence by the statue that is Berserker, unconcerned by the barks of a frightened pup.

Mordred growled, growing even more incensed. "You're nothing to me, you hear me? NOOOOTHING!" she angrily shouted whilst giving him a thumbs down.

"Okay, okay" Kairi stood to placate her. "Easy now. Don't get so worked up over it."

The Master and Servant both froze when Berserker, who hadn't shown them an ounce of care before, suddenly turned his head towards them. Kairi practically felt his balls drop when the Servant started walking in their direction, his heavy footfalls signaling the sound of death on a slow but steady approach.

"You idiot!" he said to his Servant in a panic. "You pissed him off! Apologize! Apologize to him right this instant!"

"I'm not saying sorry for a goddamn thing!" Mordred tried to pry her Master off of her. She did not move her head an inch down as he tried to make her bow down. "You're the idiot here! Let me go! I can take him! I'll show you who's the stronger Servant here!"

"…What the hell are you two idiots doing?"

Standing behind the two was Archer of Red, arms crossed with an eyebrow arched, clearly wondering at the stupidity happening in front of her.

Berserker came to a stop beside them, turning to face away from the mansion, again, unconcerned by the noise created by Saber of Red and her Master.

"It appears that they've returned," said Archer of Red.

* * *

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted that priest."

The portly and pompous Master of Saber of Black known as Gordes Musik Yggdmillennia repeated this complaint once more to the others. He would no doubt continue to remind them again of it later.

Save for their elder, the rest of the Yggdmillennia clan of Masters were present in the lounge room. Every single one of them looked anxious. It was understandable. They had just lost their king, one of their most powerful Servant, in a plan that should have granted them a decisive victory.

"It's all because he gave his Servant far too much control over his own decisions," he continued with a disgusted frown. "Treating his Servant as his lord. A Servant should always be the one subservient to its Master, not the other way around!"

"Enough, Uncle Gordes,"said Fiore. "Everyone here had approved of grandfather's decision to place Lancer of Black as the best one to lead our faction into the war. Having the skills, charisma, and leadership in leading a nation, it was an obvious choice."

Gordes reluctantly backed down, downing his glass of wine. He, too, had made no complaints of the matter at all before. The mood in the room remained grim.

"What do you think will happen, sister?" Caules asked.

With Lancer of Black gone, the clan members waited on their elder. Currently, they were waiting on his meeting with the Master of the Red Servants. Their alliance had been sudden and tenuous at best. None of them had been quite sure of what to think of it when it had happened. The shock on their elder's face upon seeing that priest had also left an impression on them.

However, whatever secret history between the two were, the priest's promise of a quick resolution to the war had been too tempting. The only thing their clan had cared about was reaching the Root. Promising away one of the three wishes to obtain the Red Faction's cooperation was a cheap price to pay. On this, Lancer of Black wholeheartedly agreed with. While Darnic had remained suspicious of him, Lancer of Black found the promise of even greater vassals in his army to be a welcome addition.

"I'm not sure," said Fiore. "With Lancer of Black dead, our fighting power is reduced drastically. However, as we still have six Servants left, we are still far from losing this war. If we had to fight the Red Faction, I say we have a good chance. While they have strong Servants, they've lost their Archer and Saber. And we now know that their Caster is more suited to a support role."

"But they're not the ones we have to be worried about," said Celenike, the sadistic Master of Rider of Black. Her busty cleavage swelled under her crossed arms. "Ruler's Servants are a more pressing concern. Not to mention the Red Servants that had most likely joined them. Whatever Darnic has qualms over it, we need this alliance with the Red Faction. I hate to say it, but our chances of winning this war without them is slim."

Fiore nodded. "The Servants of Blue are far more stronger than we had thought. Heracles and King Arthur. Just these two Servants represents a great wall for us. As expected of famous heroes, their abilities are truly high. If even half the stories about him are to be believed, Heracles himself could manage a great deal of damage to us alone."

While it was helpful to have someone like Chiron recognize him, it did nothing to boost everyone's morale when the Centaur hero had verified that all those stories of him and more were true. Even among his many heroic students, Heracles had proven to be on a different level above them.

"The other Servants aren't weak, either."

Caules took out a manila envelope and poured out its contents on the table for everyone to see.

Fiore examined them closely, surprised. "Photos of the Servants during the battle? How did you get these?"

"I trained some of the homonculi on the cameras I bought a few months ago," he said proudly. "I thought it might be useful to have them gather simple intel like this. Although, a lot of the photos ended up being useless because of how fast they were fighting. But we still did manage to get at least one good shot of each of the Servants."

Fiore pouted at him. Being one of the more modernized mages who did not stigmatize against technology, her brother often sought chances like this to fuel his obsession over gadgets and tech. She was also the one that approved any and all resources that were being spent on the war. And she did not remember approving for any cameras to be purchased.

"This one's the guy that my Saber fought." Gordes picked out the photo of a man dressed in blue with a grin of a savage wolf. "I don't think he's anyone special. He may be fast, but Saber could outlast him."

"I doubt they've showed the full extent of their abilities in that battle, Uncle Gordes," said Fiore. "And now that your Servant had revealed his Noble Phantasm, Saber of Black will have to be extra careful to watch his back now."

Gordes fumed. Not only had he revealed his Servant's trump card, but he had also lost a Command Spell using it. With the end of the battle in sight, they had decided to use their strongest Noble Phantasms to finish off Ruler.

"All because of that King Arthur's Noble Phantasm!" He slammed his fists on the table. "How does she even have that? I thought she was supposed to have lost that sheath before she had even died!"

"This one is probably some samurai from the far east." Caules pointed to the long-haired Servant, who had a wry smile and appeared to be even winking at the camera. "He's dressed as one. Hard to see him as anything else. He didn't seem quite as strong as the others, but he still managed to play around against Berserker. If he hadn't saved Ruler at the time, this would have been all over by now."

Gordes snorted. "How strong can some hero from that backwater country be?"

"You shouldn't underestimate him. The people of my country are tenacious. Heroes born from our history won't lose so easily to the ones here."

A woman, dressed in a far more casual outfit of a green dress and brown coat, walked into the room carrying a steaming plate of food. Following after her was a bouncing small child. They sat at a corner of the table. She proceeded to feed the child with a spoon, ignoring Gordes' contemptuous glare. The mage dared not say what he truly thought of her. Only their clan elder's direct order prevented him from speaking out.

Reika Rikudou had usurped the role of Master from their fellow Yggdmillennia clan member, Sagara Hyouma. Not only was his death caused by her, but she had also been responsible for Assassin of Black murdering mages on their way to the war until they had managed to capture her and convinced her to join them. It was another matter that Gordes quietly dissaproved of.

"He was quite the nuisance, wasn't he, Jack?"

Her Servant nodded after swallowing the spoonful given to her, munching happily.

"And they have a pretty powerful Caster." Celenike tossed a photo back onto the table. It showed Caster of Blue flying in the sky, an eerie smile visible from underneath her hood. "She must've been a powerful mage during her time. That Assassin of Red couldn't quite match her. That leaves the other woman as their Rider."

"A blindfolded woman that uses chains." Caules examined her photo. Unfortunately, she was one of the ones that they couldn't quite get a clear shot of. Instead, Berserker of Red's manic grin took two-thirds of the photo whilst she only appeared in the upper corner partially. "She didn't seem particularly strong, but Rider-class Servants tend to have the most Noble Phantasms. She hadn't used any, so we can't be too sure."

"And so, Archer of Blue is the only one we have no image of?" asked Fiore.

"Ah, Teacher saw him," Roche, the magic doll engineer and Master of Caster of Black, replied as he ate his dessert. "A tall, tanned man with white hair and grey eyes. He took down a lot of teacher's golems and fought with that priest. Teacher was quite intrigued with him for some reason."

"Must have been a weak Servant if he had trouble dealing with simple golems and that priest," said Gordes.

"Well, teacher said that that priest was likely another Servant."

Gordes spit out his wine, having almost choked on it. "A-A Servant? That priest?!"

He wasn't the only one surprised by this fact. All the other Masters felt the same way he did.

"That's impossible…" said Caules. "There shouldn't be more than seven Servants to a side. Each class from the Red and Blue factions have already been accounted for."

There was a momentary silence in the room at that revelation. It was Fiore who broke that silence.

"No," she said. "Perhaps its not. After all, we already have one case where that theory is proven wrong. Also, remember the first time that man had come before us? Grandfather had a rare look of disbelief on his face at the time. I'm certain that he already knew who that man was."

"He recognized him? A Servant?"

Soon, realization dawned on the mages in the room.

"Yes," Fiore nodded seriously. "Because Grandfather is the only one among us who had previously met Servants before."

* * *

"I never would have thought I would ever see you again."

Darnic Prestone Yggdmillenia watched the now quiet scenery from the fortress window of his office. From this place he could see the full destructive damage that had taken place from the city below. The entire east side of the city was now in ruins, almost nothing of it had been left from the battle between Servants.

Contrary to his calm demeanor on the surface, his emotions threatened to boil over from what he could think would be the first time in a very long time in his life as a mage. Not since the his clan had almost fallen.

"I, on the other hand, had always known that we were fated to meet once more. It was only a matter of time."

Darnic turned to see the smiling face of Shirou Kotomine. Or Shirou Tokisada Amakusa, the Saint of the Shimabara Rebellion. The Ruler-class Servant of the Einzberns during the previous Holy Grail War.

"So," said Darnic. "You had planned for this war for just as long as I've had, I assume? If everything had gone as it should have, then perhaps I would not be standing here at this moment. Tell me, Ruler, do you still hold a grudge for what I've done?"

Shirou remained passive, though his smile had faded.

In the Third Holy Grail War, the Einzberns had interfered with the system. They had sought to take advantage by summoning an irregular Servant. Though his abilities were considerably lacking compared to the regular Servants due to the Einzberns manipulating the system, he had still managed to achieve victory after victory over the others.

"It is true that your interference in that war had cost us the Greater Grail," he answered. "Had you not, I would have likely secured victory, just as the Einzberns had wanted. Still, I don't fault you for your actions. Other Masters might have done the same. It is in your nature. Such as it is to be human."

Darnic scanned him for any signs of deceit.

He saw nothing but a simple priest, content with his words.

"But now both our plans have crumbled," said Shirou. "Ruler has seen to that. If we don't work together, neither of us will win this war."

Darnic tapped on his cane as he thought.

"It's true that her Servants are formidable. Even if Lancer had not died, it would have been difficult for us to succeed. But with him defeated, it would be hard for us to achieve victory." Darnic raised his cane and pointed it at Shirou. "I hold you responsible for this."

"No one could have foreseen that they would have a hero as strong and famous as Heracles at their side," said Shirou.

"Regardless, it is due to your plans that my faction is now without its greatest power. If you wish for us to continue to cooperate, there must be compensation. There is already little trust between us."

Shirou remained calm. He had already expected this. Darnic would expect him to hand over another Servant to replace his lost one. Most likely he would ask for Lancer or Rider, being the two of the strongest members of the Red Faction. Shirou was prepared to do so. As long as his wish was granted, it would be a small price to pay.

"Give me control over all your Servants."

For the first time in their meeting, the emotionless facade Shirou wore had broken. His demand had been so utterly ludicrous that he could not immediately form a reply.

Darnic took to his seat, a devious smile breaking out on his face. He appeared quite satisfied at Shirou's reaction.

"Now, I'm not saying to surrender all your Servants to me," he answered. "I merely want partial control over them as a precaution against any undue betrayals on your part. And I know exactly how to do so. While I may not be as familiar with the Grail's system as the Makiri, I have spent a very long time studying it. A very long time."

Darnic noticed the tightened grip Shirou had. "What exactly are you asking?"

"I want a Command Spell for each and every one of your Servants."

* * *

Medea quietly closed the door to Ruler's room, her hand continuing to rest against it afterwards.

"How is she?"

Waiting behind her was Atalanta, a concerned look on her face.

Medea gave her a small glance. She couldn't even think of ever forgiving her, but for the meantime, she could not summon up her rage. When she and Rider had arrived with Ruler to see two Red Servants at their doorsteps after they had just escaped from the trap that the Red and Black Servants had sprung on them, it was understandable that their had been a good amount of tension between them.

Surprisingly, it was only thanks to Berserker's presence that the situation remained calm enough for Saber of Red's Master to explain their side of the events that had led them there and what had happened afterwards. While Medea was doubtful of them, especially of Atalanta, she had brushed the issue aside because of Ruler's condition.

"She lives…" she answered. "For now. I was only able slow down the poisons in her body. The curse afflicting her is powerful as well. Were it not for her resistance, she would have immediately have perished upon coming into contact with it. All I've done is delay the inevitable."

Atalanta's face grew even more anxious. "There must be something we could do! We can't just let her die!"

Suddenly, the Greek Archer of Artemis stumbled to the floor. Her breathe was short and her image seemed to be fading.

"It seems you've already reached your limit." Medea hovered over her. Her expression was unconcerned. "I suppose its true that without Ruler, you'll simply vanish like the rest of us. How is it? Do you regret choosing to side with her now?"

Atalanta pulled herself up.

Instead of seeing the despair that Medea had somewhat craved from her, all she was her absolute determination in her eyes.

"No," said Atalanta. "I… may die a thousand times over, but I will never regret my decision."

Medea just stood there, her face void of emotion.

"There may be yet a way for Ruler to survive this," she finally said. "However, in her current condition, she will not be able to form a contract with you in time to save you." Medea stepped closer. "But as one of the greatest mages of our time, I am also capable of saving you."

Atalanta's expression did not change. She understood well that her life was in Medea's hands. She did not expect her to hold out her hand and help her. But she accepted that all the same.

"You will never know the intense hatred that I feel towards you," said Medea. "Dying so simply is too good for you. I want you to suffer. I want you to despair. I want to erase your very existence and forget you forever."

Her words cut Atalanta deeply. So when Medea had reached out her hand to her, she couldn't believe it.

"But, as much as I loathe to admit it, if we are to win this war, we will likely require your… aid." Medea had barely spat out the last word.

After Medea had pulled her up, she threatened Atalanta by whispering next to her ear.

"Remember, I will be you Master. Your life will be mine. You will obey every word I say. If I even feel for a moment that you will betray me, I shall not hesitate to command you to take your own life in the most excruciating way possible. You had best remember that."

Though Atalanta should have felt angered or even worried by it, there was no room in her heart. Warm feelings blossomed and she couldn't help but feel glad at the chance to at least being physically close to her old friend once again.

* * *

In the inner ward of the Yggdmillenia fortress lay the training grounds. The homonculi used it to practice their combat skills. In the mornings, they would readily drill stances and exercises meant to further their skills in battle.

But in this late of a night, or what could already be considered just before early morning, there were only two individuals that currently occupied it.

Achilles landed hard on the dirt. No sooner had his back touched the ground he was already rolling off to the side, avoiding the kick that his teacher followed up on. He flipped back to his feet and closed the distance between them quickly, jabbing his fists left and right as he tried to land a solid hit on Chiron.

The speed of the two was astonishing. Their blows created pressures in the air that could be felt from a distance.

Chiron evaded the blows with just the slightest change in his position, having already read through them. It was easy enough for him to dodge. He had taught Achilles almost everything he knew about pankration, after all.

Achille's went for a straight punch. Chiron saw it coming. He planned to exploit that and come in for a body blow to the side.

Just as he was about to counter, Achille's went from a straight punch into an unexpected sideline kick. Chiron had almost failed to block it in time with his arm.

"You didn't teach me everything I know," smiled Achilles.

"Indeed, I didn't." Chiron's arm ached at the blow. His arm trembled slightly from it. "You've certainly come a long way from that young boy that used to cry from stubbing his toe on a rock."

"T-That was only cause you were putting them in places I couldn't see at night!"

Chiron immediately reached out and pulled Achille's by his arm and twisted him into an armlock, throwing both their bodies to the ground.

"Training you to always be prepared." Chiron chuckled as his former student struggled to get out of his grip. "Danger can appear from out of anywhere. You should also remember to keep your cool in battle. Never let your emotions get the best of you."

After tapping out in surrender, Achilles rose up and gave his former teacher a dirty look.

"I still think a lot of those exercises were a pretty cheap way for you to entertain yourself."

"Possibly," Chiron chuckled.

The centaur had always done his best to come up with exercises that would improve his students. But he also made them in a way that would be entertaining for himself. Why couldn't it be both?

After their spar, the two cooled down. They sat on the earth in a squat, doing their breathing exercises, just as they did after sparring all those centuries ago.

"Say, teacher?"

"I told you I'm no longer your teacher, Achilles," answered Chiron.

"Right." Achilles nodded. "But teacher will always be teacher."

"Your as stubborn as always. So what is it you want to say?"

Achilles began pulling blades of grass one by one where he sat. Chiron remembered him doing that whenever he was lost in thought instead of meditating as he told him to.

"Did… Did he do these same things like me?"

Chiron had no doubt as to who he was referring to.

"Some were, and some weren't. You should know that not all lessons and exercises work well in training everyone. I train all my students in a way that would benefit them the most. You all have your own unique traits that grows at different paces."

"I know. I know that." Achilles continued to pull at the grass. "It's just that… How can he be that strong?"

Chiron sighed. The centaur hero understood the frustrations of his old student. It had probably been a very long time since Achilles had felt such a large difference in power and skills between him and his opponent.

"Heracles was not the most intelligent of my students," he began. "He was not the most astute, either. In the course of his training, he had taken longer than most to complete all that I had asked of him. He had also made very many mistakes along the way."

Achilles raised a brow at such information about the man that had single-handedly crushed them.

"However," continued Chiron. "He was certainly the strongest of all the heroes I have ever trained. His achievements are proof enough of his strength. It's the reason his twelve labors allowed the gods to bestow upon him immortality. In terms of physical prowess, I can't think of anyone else that could match him. If there was one word to describe him, it would be that. Strong. I have no doubts that he had long surpassed me in many of the fields I had once taught him. I won't even debate it."

Achilles rose up, patting the dirt off his pants. Chiron watched as he turned away to look at the sky, reaching a hand out.

"That's great!"

Chiron could tell that there was an eager and excited smile on his face without even looking. Achilles had always been someone that overcome every challenge thrown at him. And he did so with a smile.

"I'm looking forward to our next match!"

Whilst his old student thought positively, Chiron couldn't stop the pang of bitterness from his heart. He was joyful that he could reunite with two of his former students, people he called friends. However, with old memories came the good and the bad.

* * *

"Well, those two seem to be getting along nicely," said Astolfo as he watched Rider of Red and Archer of Black from the roof of the keep. "We should really follow their example, you know?"

His companion remained silent and motionless, content on simply leaning against the wall.

"You're really not much of a talker, aren't you, Lancer of Red?" pouted Astolfo, swinging his feet from where he sat on the edge of the crenelations. "You can be a bit more friendly. We are going to be working together from now on, after all."

"That is yet to be decided," said Karna.

"Pretty sure that's how its gonna be, though." Astolfo rose and walked on the very edge like a gymnast on a tight rope. "I mean, we already know each other's names, too. You don't have to act so cold. We're both heroes."

"I don't remember asking for your name."

It was true. Astolfo had loudly introduced himself to basically all of the Red Faction when they returned to the fortress after the battle. He had even managed to shake hands with half of them before the rest withdrew.

He had also tracked down Karna to this spot after the man had refused his handshake.

"It's fine, isn't it? It's the first step of getting to know each other!"

"I have no desire of getting to know you or anyone else for that matter," said Karna. "We may be allies for the moment, but that may change easily in the future."

Astolfo spun around on his tippy toes, stopping to face Karna. "That is then, and this is now. We should focus more on the present. Live in the now, as they say!"

Karna stared impassively at him. "You are… quite the oblivious hero."

"That's pretty mean. I like to think I just act more freely than most," Astolfo declared with a beaming smile.

"Free?" Karna seemed to contemplate it. "That is…"

"I know. Kinda stupid to hear, now that I said it."

"No," Karna shook his head. "It is something to envy."

"Eh? Wo-woah!" Astolfo nearly slipped off the wall in surprise. "You really think so?"

Karna refused to expand on what he meant. Or at least he had tried to.

Though he had finally found silence, Astolfo remained near him, waiting for him intensely. Karna had thought himself patient, yet the ever increasing feeling of curiosity practically oozing off of Astolfo's glittering eyes was overwhelming. It continued until he finally had no choice but to answer.

"Of all of this world's history, how many of us heroes have ever really been free?" Karna questioned. "I truly don't know. Tell me, Paladin of Charlemagne, which of the ones here can you say were free?"

Astolfo tilted his head in thought and frowned. "Everyone?"

"None," answered Karna with absolute surety. "I can say that none in the Red Faction would that word fit them. Each and every one of us created a cage of our own making that trapped us. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here. I suspect the others of your own are much the same. We are not only all held prisoners by our own ideals, but by the kind of life we had lived by. We each have our own selfish reasons to be in this war."

"Heh?" Astolfo seemed doubtful. "I don't think I'm like that at all. My life was pretty satisfying to me."

"And that is what I find to be enviable."

Karna had thought his answer was enough, as Astolfo had quieted for a while. However, when he glanced in his direction, he found the androgynous knight tilting his steaming head left and right in apparent confusion.

"Hmmm…. I'm enviable?" he muttered to himself. "Well, aside from being kinda weak, I'm pretty cute? Maybe that's it?"

Karna sighed. He wondered to himself if perhaps he should have just agreed earlier that he was just stupid.

"But you know what?" Astolfo's confused expression changed into a melancholic one. "I don't really think I'm as free as I could be right now."

The change in his tone of voice took Karna's attention.

"Do you… maybe… think we're the bad guys here?" asked Astolfo apprehensively. "I mean, I know we have a war to win, but I'm not quite sure we really should have done what we did to Ruler. It somehow didn't feel right to me."

Karna had not known of it. It was only after the fact that he had fully understood what had taken place. Only Caster and Assassin had been fully informed of the plan.

"Whether or not it feels right does not matter," he answered. "We are Servants. It is our duty to obey the commands of our Masters. If that is their strategy, then all we must do is play our roles to our utmost."

The light of dawn soon began to rise over the horizon. It heralded the coming of a new day.

It was a beautiful sight.

And for once, the Son of the Sun God found tranquility with the presence of Astolfo. The paladin stood quietly and watched the sunrise with a look of deep contemplation.

* * *

Unlike earlier, Mordred did not loudly grumble nor move around restlessly. In fact, she hadn't moved at all from the place she had waited since Ruler arrived with Rider and Caster.

Her Master had left to retire in one of the many vacant rooms in the mansion once they had made sure to clear any misunderstanding as to where they stood in the war. He had needed to rest and recuperate. He also wanted to give Mordred some privacy for what would come next.

The rest of Ruler's Servants had fallen behind to make sure that there was no danger of the enemy following them back to finish what they had started.

And so Mordred continued to wait.

Patiently. Quietly. Nervously.

All things that came rarely to her. Well, rarely when it did not involve the one she waited for.

She cast a downward gaze at her palms. She noticed that they were jittery. A flash of annoyance and shame crossed her face.

It was unbecoming of a knight. She was not some inexperienced squire about to go into her first battle. However, it still felt like it to her.

She turned her gaze towards the breaking dawn. A silhouette appeared in the foreground.

Mordred already knew who it was.

That shining armor reflecting the light of the sun at her back seemed to radiate splendor. She walked confidently, her posture firm but sure. Though her physique was slender, an aura of strength seemed to cloak around her.

It was almost like the very first time Mordred had seen her. Majestic.

And finally, that figure stood before her once again. Her king and the only person she had ever looked up to. They stood apart a mere dozen feet from each other.

"Father…"

She was exactly as she remembered her to be.

King Arthur walked closer, her face an impassive mask. She walked towards Mordred. Closer and closer with each step she walked.

She walked.

She walked and she walked, all the way past Mordred, through the broken double doors of the mansion, and inside without ever stopping once.

And Mordred remained standing where she was. Frozen.

It was exactly just as she remembered her.


	12. Chapter 12

Saber arrived in Ruler's quarters with no time to waste as soon as she received the summon from Caster.

Lying on the canopy bed was her Master, her body writhing in agony even though she was unconscious. By her side Caster knelt and had her hood down as she used some form of magecraft to soothe her. Archer of Red watched from the end of the room with a grimace on her face.

Saber dematerialized her armor and went back to the casual clothing that Ruler had lent her.

"What of her condition, Caster?" she said as she went next to bed. Ruler's face was deathly pale.

Medea stood up, her face grim. "I've isolated most of the poison inside her system, however the curse afflicting her is more of a concern. It is likely that it is caused by Asssassin of Black's Noble Phantasm. Knives are slowly manifesting and cutting her from the inside."

"Can you not remove it?"

"Without knowing full well the Noble Phantasm that had caused it, I may just make things worse. Assassin of Black seems to have another ability that removes information regarding her after a battle. Though we remember fighting her, we cannot recall her image nor anything else about her."

It had been frustrating for Medea when she realized her own memories of the time turned murky. The other Servants that came into contact with her were much the same. No one can tell remember for sure who or what she was, other than that they had surely seen her.

"If nothing is done, then she will die."

"No."

Saber knelt down and took Ruler's hand, closing her eyes as if praying. After a few moments, she rose up with a determined expression.

She held out her hands.

A golden light shone from between them. Within a second, one of her most precious possession appeared into her open hands.

"Avalon," said Caster in awe. "The hallowed scabbard of Excalibur. I had thought it had been lost in King Arthur's legend. It was hard for me to believe when I first saw it."

"It was lost," Saber nodded. She smiled as her fingers brushed over it. "However, someone very important to me had kept it safe and returned it to me. I had thought to never part with it again. It is part of a vow I had sworn. But given the circumstances, it will be best to have Ruler keep it for the meantime. I'm sure he would understand."

Saber slowly laid the scabbard on top of Ruler. As soon as it came into contact with her, the sheath sunk and disappeared. Ruler's body began to emanate a low golden glow before receding. Not soon after, her rough and labored breathing began to settle down.

Caster quickly went over Ruler's health.

"It appears to have worked," she answered. "There is barely any poison left, and the curse has weakened considerably. She's not entirely healed, but she's no longer in any danger. Truly impressive. At this rate, she should be well enough to wake soon."

Saber breathed a sigh of relief. Atalanta smiled from her corner as well.

The sleeping and peaceful face of their Master gave the Servants in the room much needed assurance that she would be well.

For the time being, the holy maiden of France could rest easy.

* * *

Mordred wondered where she was.

Staring around her, she noticed that she stood in a wide grassy plains that stretched for miles all around her. Clouds gathered above her, blocking her view of the sun. The clouds appeared to move at the pace of the slow breeze that also touched the grass.

"What am I doing here?" she asked herself.

Then, she remembered.

Her chest felt tight. It felt cold to her. She quietly sat on the ground, laying her elbows to her knees as she stared into the far off distance.

Mordred had wondered what would happen once she and her father finally reunited in this war. She spent a long time thinking on it. Would she be furious at seeing her? After all, she was the one that tore down everything that King Arthur had built. It wouldn't be strange for her to feel intense hatred and rage towards her. They might have even fought at the first recognition of one another, continuing that final battle they fought in the last day of their lives.

She considered many outcomes of their meeting. But there was one thing that she had failed to consider. Most likely because it was something that she had dreaded completely that she had shut that possibility out of her mind.

Indifference.

And that was what happened. Her father ignored her presence completely, as if her existence in this war meant absolutely nothing to her. Not even after everything she had done.

Mordred was nothing to her.

Time passed by slowly, same as the clouds in the blue sky. She remained where she was, detached and unsure. It was quite unlike her, but she didn't really want to think too much about it. In fact, she didn't really want to think about anything at all at the moment.

Mordred wasn't quite sure how long she would have stayed there. Maybe she would've stayed until the entire Holy Grail War had ended. She didn't think it would have been so bad.

But it appeared that she wouldn't even get that simple of a wish.

"So this is where you were?"

She recognized that voice from behind her.

Archer walked up beside her. "You seem to have a lot on your mind. I take it you two finally met, then?"

Mordred didn't answer. She didn't want to. So, she just ignored him.

But he didn't leave.

He stood there quietly as he gazed off into the same distance as she did. For a few minutes, they did nothing but that. A cold breeze swept through the grass and the trees, a biting morning that would normally cause one to shiver.

"You know, I liked you better when you kept barking loudly like a wild dog," said Archer finally. "It doesn't suit you to act so meek like this. Were you expecting a touching reunion perhaps?"

Normally, Mordred's blood would've boiled at that. His mocking tone was unmistakable.

She sighed, then stood up and walked a few feet away.

"Leave me alone, Archer," she said without turning back at him. "I don't really feel like cursing at you right now. I don't give a damn whatever you have to say."

She heard him sigh, then turn and walk away. Though slight, Mordred felt a little bit of satisfaction at having been able to drive the annoying man away without losing her cool again. A small victory.

There was the spark of mana that came from behind her. She heard Archer whisper something in a low voice.

Her combat-oriented mind automatically shifted her from her apathetic state into a battle-ready stance, her armor and weapon fully materializing before she had even turned. Mordred hadn't thought that Archer would have been stupid enough to fight her head on like this, but she wasn't so far out of it that she'll allow herself to be attacked without repercussion.

"Don't think that I'll—!"

Mordred's mind blanked out completely as soon as she had turned. She was shocked. She was unable to process what it was she was seeing in front of her eyes.

"I take it I have your attention now?"

Archer smirked at her.

Mordred mouthed like a fish out of water as she couldn't even form the words needed to communicate.

"T-That's—Where did you get that?!" she demanded. Her eyes were glued to the sword in one of the many stones in the ground. "That's not real… It can't be real!"

"That's right," Archer nodded. "It's not. It's a fake." His smirk grew. "A _genuine_ fake. Can you tell?"

Mordred's eyes studied each and every part of the sword thoroughly. Even though he already called it a fake, Mordred couldn't even tell any difference at all from her observation. From the hilt down to the edges of the blade, it seemed to be an exact copy of Caliburn. It was almost impossible to discern its authenticity by sight alone.

The holy sword pulled from the stone that became a symbol of King Arthur's legend. Engraved in dazzling gold on its hilt where the words, " _Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone is rightwise king of all England."_

It was the beginning of everything that mattered to her.

And it was not more than a few feet away from her.

Mordred could feel it pulling her towards it. Long had she dreamed of having the chance to test herself. Fake or not, her heart didn't seem to care anymore. All she needed was to reach out to it.

"I think your forgetting someone." Archer blocked her view of the sword, placing himself between it and her. "Really? How many times are you going to ignore me today? I feel a little hurt."

Mordred's tunnel vision vanished.

"…Just who the hell are you?" she asked. Mordred's mind raced as she tried to piece together his true identity. "That isn't something that someone—anyone can just pull out out of nowhere!"

"Oh? Now you want to talk?" Archer shrugged."I don't really feel like it anymore."

"You—!"

Archer stepped to the side. Caliburn was gone from the stone. It vanished as if it were an illusion.

However, what Mordred had felt from it had been very real.

"Too bad."

Hot burning rage coursed through Mordred's veins. She had been close. Oh, so close to her goal.

"You're going to regret that," she growled. Archer smirked in response.

Mordred pushed her feet off the ground. She closed the gap between them almost instantly and brought her sword down on his head. Archer didn't even try to block it. He moved his body to the side to avoid it, and countered with his twin blades. Mordred parried them easily.

When she moved her sword to shield her head from one of Archer's blows, he took that opportunity to kick himself up from the flat of the blade. Archer threw his swords at her, which pinned her on the spot as she had to deflect them with her sword. And then, Mordred noticed as he was falling high in the sky, he held a large elegant ebony bow that was aimed right at her.

She readied herself for his attack. In that instant, Archer fired off three shots. However, none of them were aimed at her. The arrows landed on the ground near her, and then, exploded.

The damage Mordred received from it was minimal. It only served to annoy her as her armor merely got dirtied by a layer of earth. However, she knew Archer was aiming for that moment when his explosion knocked up clouds of dirt to hide from her vision. Since straight-forward attacks weren't something he could pull off against a Saber-class Servant like her, Mordred already assumed he would rely on tricks to try and get around her.

She quietly relaxed her breath, waiting for him to attack. It was hard to track anything through the billowing smoke. But Archer charged right in front of her, clashing his dual blades against her sword. He smirked that irksome smile of his. Her gut was telling her that something was wrong. He didn't pull all of this off just to make a direct attack at her.

Her ears picked up the sound of whirling blades somewhere behind her.

"Don't underestimate me, you shitty bastard!" Mordred roared.

She poured her mana into her sword. It pushed against Archer's blades, then pushed Archer entirely. His feet left the ground as the force of it threw him, and her swung sword went all the way behind her, blowing away the two swords that nearly cut her from behind and even creating a large gash of torn earth.

Mordred didn't stop there. Red lightning flashed as she released a burst of mana around her, clearing the field of the cloud of smoke and dust.

Archer tensed up, as he was now the one that prepared himself for her to attack. He reacted with surprise when Mordred's sword nearly reached his neck. Mordred had thrown her own sword at him. It was something one did not expect to see from anyone who would dare call oneself a proud knight.

He had barely avoided it by jumping to the side.

"You're not the only one that can throw swords around here."

Mordred appeared right next to him and grabbed him by his leg, and then, in an arc, threw him hard against the ground. The impact cracked the ground.

Archer groaned and tried to pick himself up, but Mordred stamped her foot on his chest, forcing him back down. She pointed her crackling silver and red sword at him. Her helmet retracted back into her armor.

This time, it was her turn to smile—a vicious and victorious one.

"What now, Archer?" she asked haughtily.

Archer dismissed his swords with a helpless smile on his face, raising his empty palms above his head in surrender.

"So I'm beat," he said. "Feel better now?"

"Do I feel better?" Mordred hissed at him as she inched the pointed end of her blade closer to his throat.

Well, she actually did feel a lot better now. The thrill of a fight and beating someone she hated into the ground did really well on lifting up her mood. So, yes, she supposed she felt much better.

But that didn't mean she'd just forget about earlier.

She was about to threaten Archer with even more pain when someone else interrupted her.

"As much as I enjoy seeing that sly fox getting a beating, I'm going to have to ask you to stand down, miss knight."

Lancer stood with his spear in hand a few feet away from the two, his eyes like a hunter carefully watching its prey. His voice was playful yet threatening. He acted casually, but there was a strong undercurrent of danger coming off of him.

"Caster told us that you're on our side, but looking as things are right now, that doesn't seem to be the case," he said.

He leveled his spear in her direction. Mordred could tell that the moment she drew blood from Archer, Lancer would likely kill her in that instant. She could tell that he wasn't a weak Servant.

"We were just having a friendly spar, Lancer," came Archer's voice. "Nothing to be concerned about."

Lancer frowned, his gaze switching from his fellow Blue Servant on the ground to Mordred.

Mordred clicked her tongue. She put away her sword. However, when Archer made to get up, she pressed down hard on her boot against his chest again, pushing him back to the ground.

She leaned down and said, "Don't think this is over."

Finally, she lifted her boot and made to leave, dismissing her armor and returning to her casual clothing. She gave Lancer a spiteful glare as she left.

"What was that about?" complained Lancer.

Archer dropped his head back on the ground and sighed.

"It's complicated."

* * *

"What the hell is she doing now?"

Kairi Sisigou stumbled from his room into the hallway. He had just woken from his much needed sleep when he felt a slight dip in his mana levels. And it only took his groggy mind a few seconds to realize what that meant.

"Please, please, please don't be fighting Berserker," he grumbled as he tried to get his bearings and walk at the same time by moving his hands against the wall. His feet weren't quite fully awake yet.

He was just about to contact her through their mental link when he encountered someone else in the hallway.

 _Don't tell me it's…?_

"Greetings."

Kairi groaned in his mind. A girl that looked very similar to his Servant casually walked over to him. Though she wore no armor and appeared in a simple white blouse and a blue skirt, the blond girl stood with a straight back, a firm posture, and an unrelenting gaze that did not shrink at the sight of him. And, sad as it does make him admit, there weren't many people that reacted that way to his intimidating appearance.

"Uh, yeah," he answered with a weak wave of his hand and a tired smile. "Hey, there. You must be Saber of Blue?"

"That is correct. And I assume you are Saber of Red's Master?"

Kairi stood there uneasily. He wondered if she had met Mordred yet or not. It was hard to tell from her stoic attitude.

"I don't suppose you've seen my Servant yet, have you?" he decided to ask.

"I have."

Two words. Her face did not so much as change at all at her admission. Kairi thought there was no way in hell those two words should have been enough to explain such a meeting between the two, but Saber did not seem keen on expanding any further on it than that.

Yeah. Kairi did not know what to say. The two of them just remained standing in the hallway in awkward silence.

Kairi complained in his thoughts why he had to be the one meeting her. Where was his Servant when he needed her? She was the one who had been waiting to meet this king. He had never even wanted to converse with anyone from royalty in his life. Queen or king of England or whatever, he'd much rather stick to dealing with stuck-up magi.

"It must be difficult for you," said Saber finally.

Kairi didn't know what she had meant at first, but he realized she was likely talking about his Servant.

"Well, she can be a handful," he admitted, slightly relieved at having the tension broken by conversation. "She's willful, hot-tempered, and a pain in the ass some times. But I think she and I work well with each other. She's a good partner and a strong Servant. I don't think I could have summoned a better Servant than her… uh, no offense."

"I see."

With that, their brief meeting and conversation was over. Saber left to wherever it was she was headed, leaving Kairi by himself. After taking a relaxed sigh, Kairi felt the tension in the air clear. He wondered what it was that father and son had talked about.

Still, while he had known the stories of King Arthur and his knights, there were plenty that wasn't quite as known to the world. Such as the king being a girl. He also had more direct experience courtesy of his Servant's memories in his dreams.

"She wasn't quite what I expected either, huh?" he mumbled.

For a moment before she left, he thought he'd seen the shadow of a faint smile on her face as she had passed him by.

But he didn't have time to give it much thought. He just remembered why he had gotten up in the first place.

"Really, that partner of mine just can't make things easy, can she?"

* * *

Shirou Kotomine discussing with Semiramis and Shakespeare on how they should proceed with allying with the Black Faction. His first close encounter with the homonculi Servants that remind him a lot of his former Master. His wish to have them become non-active participants in the war as a condition to agreeing to Darnic's demand is granted and mentioned in another chapter by Darnic.

"How arrogant must that mage be to think that we would accept such an absurd demand."

Shirou Kotomine sat in deep thought on his couch whilst Semiramis fumed. He hadn't agreed to Darnic's condition, but he hadn't turned it down outright either. Darnic had given him time to think on it, offering him a place in the fortress to mull his thoughts. It was an unneeded gesture, the mage had known. He knew that there really was no other choice.

"Well, mages are generally not known for their charitable personalities," said Shakespeare. "Considering he did not ask for a more ridiculous condition such as outright controlling all of the Red Servants, I should say we are rather fortunate. As our Master had only asked of a single wish from the Holy Grail, it does not matter if Red or Black were to win."

Semiramis glared hatefully at him, appearing ready to strike him down for his objective opinion. She, however, lost much of the fire in her eyes after seeing that the writer was not even paying attention to her.

"For someone so useless in this war, you seem to be fairly busy," she said.

Shirou noticed this as well. The famous literary hero had been scribing on his notes all day.

"What can I say?" Shakespeare flourished with a bright smile. "Inspiration comes quickly through adversity. Struggles of life and death. Powering through against the odds! My quill feeds off of comedy, romance, tragedy and such and such! And war is quite the fine wine in those regards."

Though his attitude served only to irk Semiramis, it did bring some slight amusement to Shirou.

"Perhaps we could do the same as we did the Masters of Red?" Semiramis suggested to Shirou. "Turning the tables on that man and taking full control of the Black Servants as well. It wouldn't be such a bad idea."

"No." Shirou shook his head. "He and the other Masters would likely take measures against that. He already fully knows that I'm the one that controls the Red Faction. No doubt he does not need imagine what I had done to achieve that. His Servants are likely to be on the lookout for that as well."

The same trick won't work. In fact, until he agreed to his demand, Shirou understood that the mage would be wary of any signs of such things.

"Then what are we to do?" said Semiramis.

Shirou had spent two hours considering their options. He had sent Assassin and Caster away so that he may deliberate in peace and in prayer. Finally, after he had exhausted all other possible alternatives, he had to admit that there was no other choice.

"Excuse me?"

An unfamiliar voice shook him from his thoughts. Someone had entered the room as he had been busy thinking.

He chided himself for being so careless. Even though he already knew that the Black Faction would need their cooperation to win, that didn't mean that they wouldn't attempt any form of subterfuge that would gain them any sort of advantage.

However, it was a moot point. The person that entered the room bore no hostilities. He would have detected it instantly if there was.

"Would you like me to refill your tea?"

Shirou nodded.

He watched as the female homonculus took his empty cup and poured a freshly brewed one from a pot. Her expression was apathetic. No hostility, no emotion. That's how she had been made to be. A doll dressed up and serving as a maid.

It had surprised him to know that the Yggdmillenia clan had managed to create homonculi like the Einzberns had. They acted much the same as their Einzbern counterparts, save for his old Master. They had minor variations though, such as a wider degree of individual characteristics. Unlike those of the Einzberns that rarely altered from their preferred formula of a perfect homonculus.

Now that he had taken a closer look, her eyes were a lighter shade of red compared to the Einzberns. As if showing that their blood was thinner than those homonculi they had been copied from. Even their hair differed in color, missing the pure white hair of the Einzbern homonculi.

"If that is all?" she asked. The homonculus curtsied lightly before attempting to leave.

"Wait."

The homonculus stopped and turned back to him, waiting for an order.

Shirou didn't have one. He wasn't quite sure why he had told her to wait.

"May I ask for your name?" he said. Perhaps his fondness for his old Master had never waned even after all these years. He could never truly forget her last dying moments in his arms.

The maid showed no expression, though she tilted her head ever so slightly. "This one has no name. No homonculus in this castle has one."

"Why?"

Even the Einzberns named the homonculi they had created. Even if they were simple Servants, they were still given names to differentiate themselves from the others.

She tilted her head slightly now to the other side. "Because it is unneeded. Our lifespans range in a few months. There is no need to name disposable tools such as us."

Shirou sat their in silence, quietly observing her.

"All living beings have a right to be named. Even artificial ones such as yourself."

There was a change in the maid's expression. Her brow seemed to crease by a small degree.

"…Perhaps," she seemed to agree, a little reluctantly.

When he had no other questions or requests, the maid curtsied once more and left Shirou by himself. His hot tea had already gone cold by the time he had touched it to his lips.

Thoughts of his old Master resurfaced in his mind.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:**

 **Been a while. I've been pretty busy with school so haven't really had time to work on any story at all till it was over. Have a bit of stocking stuffer since its almost Xmas. Well, the chapter is mostly filler too.**

 **Anyway, if you guys also want to leave a tip, I have a account now too. Nothing there, it's just a tip jar for me. You can find it at pa tre on tricknzwei.**

* * *

"What's the meaning of this, Darnic?!"

The door slammed open by an outraged Gordes. He had barged into the clan head's office followed by his Servant, who, contrary to his belligerent self, remained quiet and calm as always. The elder of the Yggdmillenia clan sat at his desk indifferently, reading a thick book.

"I suppose you mean about the removal of the homonculi from active combat?"

"You can't be serious? My family had spent a great deal of resources and work into bringing them to this war! They were tools made just for this! Why would we not use them?!"

Being the creator, Gordes had been the first one to learn of the new orders given to his creations. He had been flabbergasted when he had first heard of it, unable to believe it. Naturally, he'd been livid after verifying the truth of the matter. It was as if his family's direct contribution to the war effort was being dismissed without reason.

Darnic closed his book. "There is no helping it. It was a condition given by that priest."

"That Red Master?" Gordes scoffed. "Is he an idiot? If we're going to be allies, why would he even bother with the homonculi? Is he even really trying to win this war? We should be using every asset we have!"

"It matters not," said Darnic. He gazed appreciatively at the new Command Spells on his arm. "We've received more than ten—no, a hundred times their price in return. They will remain in supporting roles for the duration of the war, and we can still use them to serve as our mana batteries."

Darnic had expected negotiations to go on longer, even considered the possibility that the priest would deny his demand and simply throw out the plan for an alliance. He was pleasantly surprised when Shirou had returned with such a simple condition.

The homonculi were simple fodder in battles with Servants. Even a thousand of them had little to no chance against the lowliest Servant. And with the loss of his own Servant, gaining the control of five was far too much of an opportunity to let pass. It hadn't taken him more than a second to agree to such favorable terms.

For what reasons the priest had for requesting such a condition, Darnic wasn't concerned. The homonculi remained under his clan's control. It was not as if the priest could use them to overthrow them, either. They could not betray their creators.

"This is a mistake!"

Gordes stormed out of the room into the castle halls. Though he was completely against it, as a mage, he knew the decision was a sound one. However, the pudgy magus' pride would not allow him to accept it so readily.

"Trusting those Red Faction bastards will cost us this war!" He grabbed a flower vase nearby and threw it at the wall, shattering it into pieces.

A maid homonculus arrived after hearing the noise, bowed to him, then proceeded to clean up the mess.

Her prompt appearance somehow just made Gordes all the more infuriated. He took one of the small glass displays and threw it at her as well. It hit the wall next to her head and broke into shards. One of the shards fell on her, causing a streak of blood to drip down from the top of her head.

"What use are you stupid things to me now?" Gordes spat out before leaving for his room.

As with all the other homonculi, she had shown no reaction to the bodily harm done towards her. She simply continued to clean, just as she had been assigned to do.

Seeing it like that, it only served to further incense Gordes' temper. Though the Einzbern's had provided him the means to create them, he still knew full well that they were inferior to their own creations. They had never shared fully the secrets of their homunculi.

"Useless!" he said.

Like the rest, she was simply a doll. A tool to be used and disposed of.

* * *

Siegfried watched silently as his Master went fuming all the way back into his room, no doubt to finish off the bottle of alcohol he had been drinking earlier. For the time being, he was free to roam. His Master had ordered him to leave him be, saying that his stoic presence, even in astral form, spoils the wine.

"Quite the hot-tempered fellow, isn't he?"

Caster of Red materialized into the corridor, an amused smile on his face. It was obvious that he was talking to Siegfried, as the only other one there was the homonculus that continued to quietly pick up the broken pieces of the vase.

"Come now, Saber of Black," he said, looking straight at where Siegfried was. "It won't hurt you to show yourself. I would look absurd talking to myself. Though I do tend to do that at times."

Siegfried considered for a moment.

"What is it that you want, Caster of Red?" he asked as he materialized.

"Just a friendly chat. As you must know, our factions are going to be working together again for the foreseeable future. Why, I thought it best to get to know my fellow Servants. It is fortuitous that I bumped into the famous Dragon Slayer that defeated the evil dragon Fafnir. A splendid legend, indeed."

It didn't surprised Siegfried that the Servant knew of his identity. When he had unleashed his Noble Phantasm upon the enemy Saber, he had known that it would be revealed soon enough. It was also one of the worries that tormented his Master. Along with his identity, so too did his weakness became exposed. It made Gordes felt even more concerned for his position in the clan.

If he lost Siegfried, with the addition of having his homunculi contributions basically tossed aside, he would have nothing left to offer in the war.

"My, my, don't look so grim," said Caster of Red cheerfully. "You're far from being a worthless Servant just because you're identity had been revealed. Quite unlike an incapable Servant like myself. I am but a humble writer—a lover not a fighter, so to speak."

"What do you mean?" Siegfried asked curiously.

Caster of Red coughed one moment, then from somewhere procured a feather-tipped hat. With a flourish, he spread his cloak out as he bowed down holding his hat to his chest.

"William Shakespeare, at your service," he proudly announced. "English poet, playwright, actor, and a great deal many other titles embellished, though sprinkled with a hint of truth nonetheless. It is a pleasure for this writer to meet face to face with a character from legends of old."

His introduction surprised Siegfried in more ways than one. While it was true that they were allies, that didn't mean that they trusted one another. The Yggdmillenia clan had made it clear not to share all the details of their Servants, especially their true identities. Aside from Darnic, the other Red Servants had not shared their identities to them either. And the fact that Caster of Red was someone who couldn't exactly be called a true hero of legend like the others made it clear that his capabilities would be far inferior, putting himself purposely in a vulnerable position.

"My identity is no matter of serious consequence," said Shakespeare. "I am likely to be a simple footnote in the grand schemes of this war, so I have no qualms of revealing myself. But I, sad as I am to say, am not unique in that regard."

Rider of Black had, after all, openly announced to all factions his true identity. And that was when they all factions were still hostile with one another.

The maid had finished cleaning. She stood up and curtsied before them before leaving.

Siegfried couldn't help but show some small pity at the sight of her. Her position was worse than that of a slave.

"Ah, yes," nodded Shakespeare, as if in agreement with his thoughts. "Artificial humans. But truly they are treated as mere dolls by their creators. What is there more to their lives but the roles given unto them? Perhaps in another story, one of them would become the protagonist, fighting for their freedom, living not just for the sake of surviving. Who knows? Mayhaps some of them will even survive this war?"

Siegfried turned from him. "Just to be clear, Caster of Red. As a knight, I am loyal to my Master. Should he give the order, I will not hesitate to strike you down."

Shakespeare did not seem at all bothered by that. He even waved a friendly goodbye as Siegfried walked away.

"Well, it was a pleasure chatting with you!" he said, though Siegfried had barely said anything the entire time. "Perhaps we can speak more at another time?"

The writer took out his quill and his notes, scribbling a new entry after Saber of Black had left.

"I suppose that didn't go quite as I'd expected. I really shouldn't expect much else with the other Black Servants, as well. But I guess that's how it is. An artist must suffer for his craft."

Shakespeare sighed. He eyed the room down the corridor.

"…But perhaps meeting with the Masters would yield more interesting results?"

* * *

Siegfried walked the castle halls aimlessly. After materializing, the stoic Servant had no particular thoughts on what to do, so he simply patrolled the inside of the castle.

"Oh, if it isn't Saber?"

It was then that he encountered Archer of Black, appearing alongside Rider of Red. The two of them had appeared to have just finished another bout of training at the castle courtyard.

"It's unusual to see you without your Master around," said Chiron good-naturedly. "Has he finally given you a break perhaps?"

"My Master wished to be alone with his thoughts, thus I am staying on guard and making sure there are no gaps in our defenses."

"Man, you're a pretty serious guy, aren't you?" Achilles walked up to him. "You could at least smile a bit at meeting a friendly face, you know? They say those who can't laugh on the battlefield, won't get to laugh on the Elysian fields either. Be more—ow!"

Having smacked him on the top of his head, his mentor pulled his old pupil back to a more respectful distance from Siegfried.

"As always, you're still lacking in etiquette," sighed Chiron. "Perhaps we should be working more on that rather than physical training?"

"Ack!" Achilles looked quite panicked at that suggestion. Of all the things the hero had learned from his mentor, etiquette had never been his favorite. "Quit joking, teacher. You know we don't have time for that."

"Oh? So you think I'm joking?"

Cold chills ran down Achilles' spine as he noticed the serious glint in his teacher's eyes. Old and forgotten memories of their time together came to mind.

"B-But weren't we going to the baths?" he stuttered. "I know! How about you come and join us, Saber?"

Siegfried raised a brow at the sudden offer.

"It'd be a good way for us newly minted comrades to bond," said Achilles. "Getting to know each other improves teamwork! And it's not like you've got anything better to do right now."

Siegfried's brow then knotted in apparent thought.

"That is an excellent idea," agreed Chiron. "A relaxing soak in the waters seems like something you could use right now, Saber. It might help clear your current state of mind."

To a distinguished hero who had taught many other heroes under his belt, it wasn't surprising that Chiron was able to notice that something had been bothering the dragon-slaying knight's mind.

The Yggdmillennia Castle boasted far more than its massive size and strong stone walls. It was built to accommodate magi. And as so, it came with various amenities that were fit for some of the exuberant tastes many of them are used to. One of such is an overly large indoor bath located at the center of the castle.

"Now this is impressive!" Achilles beamed at the sight of it.

Unlike the far more simplistic baths of the time of the Greeks, the Yggdmillenia bath took more inspiration from the Romans, extravagant and pleasing to the eyes while those who partook in its waters cleansed themselves.

The Servants came in with nothing but a towel to cover their nether regions.

Contrary to his still boyish good looks, Achilles' body was impressively sturdy. Tempered by a history of training and fighting, not an inch of it could be found lacking. Lean yet strong and firm. Chiron, his teacher, was similarly built, though he was slightly shorter in stature.

Following after the two, came Saber of Black. As expected of a knight, his body was rugged and well built. A chiseled chest and solid abs, compared to the two Greek heroes, he was far more muscular.

"Rest easy, Siegfried." Chiron put a reassuring hand on the knight's shoulder. "You are among friends. None here will take advantage of your weakness at such a time."

It was understandable that the knight had felt slightly more exposed than the others. After all, his weakness, the leaf-shaped discoloration on his back, was a fatal point for the sturdy Servant. Hidden as it was beneath his long gray hair, the fact that his identity was exposed made it even more of an open target now.

"Well, it looks like we're not the only ones who thought of taking a dip." Achilles waved a hand as he approached the waters. "And here I thought this big of a place would feel a little too empty with just the three of us."

Lancer of Red, soaked in the bath from the neck down, sat at the edge of the bath. On his head was a small folded towel. He stared at them impassively.

"Comrades-in-arms!" A booming voice echoed loudly throughout the stone walls of the bath. "I see you are here as well to cleanse yourselves of the muck of the oppressors! Come! Join us! Be free from your restraints!"

Berserker of Red appeared and stood just behind Lancer, naked in all his glory. His large frame and grossly over-muscled body dripping bath water all over the floor.

"And he had quieted down just moments ago, too…" sighed Lancer.

Achilles' earlier enthusiasm dropped at the sight of the mad gladiator. Somehow, even without his questionable attire, the Servant still oozed a perverse aura around him. He was being a little bit too free.

Once the heroes had immersed themselves in the warm waters, relaxing in various positions they thought comfortable, a calming peace fell upon them.

"This is good," said Achilles with a loose smile.

"That it is," nodded Chiron with a satisfied smile. "Though the temperature could be a little warmer."

The water glowed briefly, as if a small sun had shone from the depths. Amazingly, the temperature of the water had risen.

"Much better," said Chiron. "Thank you, Lancer."

The Son of the Sun God simply closed his eyes in quiet relaxation.

For several minutes, the men enjoyed the peace of a simple bath, letting their muscles loosen from the perfectly warm temperature.

"So now that everyone's gotten a chance to lay back a bit," said Achilles, leaning his arms back on the edge of the bath. "I'd like to hear your thoughts on this war, if you guys don't mind? It hasn't exactly gone as I'd expected, I can tell you that right now."

As they were all Servants, every one of them there had their own opinions about the ongoing war. Each of them had their own stakes on the outcome of it.

"It certainly has been surprising," admitted Chiron. "To see two of my own former students here, I don't know whether to be saddened or joyous."

"That seems… complicated," said Siegfried.

"It is. I've known and trained the both of them since they were but children."

"But you will not hold back," stated Lancer.

"Of course," Chiron smiled. "As I expect the both of them would do the same against me. I have taught them enough to know that do so would only bring disgrace to themselves and their opponent."

"In that guy's case, though, I don't think you can afford to hold back," said Achilles. He rubbed his shoulder, as if trying to massage a sore spot. "You'd get killed instantly. Really, I can't count the number of times I would've died back then if I made even one careless mistake."

"Was he truly that formidable?"

Saber spoke curiously while Lancer opened a single eye, appearing interested in the conversation as well. As fellow warriors, they shared similar interests in the strength of others. They could tell that Rider was strong. For someone like him to say so about another, it wouldn't be empty words. And that someone had also defeated Vlad the Impaler in a 2 vs 1 battle.

"I'd bet all my gold he'll be the most difficult opponent in this war," said Achilles seriously.

"I disagree."

They all turned to Lancer. It had surprised them that he'd actually voice a disagreement.

"Because of her," said Saber. "The King of Knights."

The two of them had crossed blades against her, so they knew well her strength. Though Siegfried had the upper hand against her, she had still stood firm against him, unyielding. Even the combined might of their Noble Phantasms had failed to reach her.

Lancer nodded.

"So it appears that the road ahead of us will be difficult," said Chiron.

"Well, it wouldn't be fun if that wasn't the case," grinned Achilles. "That just makes victory all the more satisfying. Still, it is interesting to know that a king would be—"

"AN OPPRESSOR!"

Berserker had suddenly burst out of the middle of the bath, spilling waves of water everywhere, and showering everything from the epicenter.

"My fists and blade shall rain justice upon all oppressors!" he declared while laughing loudly. "I will smash their conceit and arrogance, trample upon their bravado! The time of the oppressor shall come at an end!"

Achilles glared unamused at him, having gotten a mouthful of water while he had been talking. He was equally unamused by the sight of another man's thing dangling so close to his face.

"Well, with that, I'd say it's time to hit the sauna."

Chiron and Siegfried stood to join him as well.

"Are you not coming, Lancer?" Chiron asked.

"…I'd prefer to stay here."

It was strange that the impassive Servant would decline a chance to get away from someone as loud as Berserker. It was stranger still to see him break his usually impassive face looking slightly troubled, knotting his brows together.

"Comrades!" shouted Berserker. "Desist! Your judgment, clouded! Do not fall for the—!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Achilles waived him off. "We got it already. If Lancer wants to keep him company, that's fine. But I'm not gonna waste anymore time getting an eyeful here when I can go relax elsewhere."

Lancer and Berserker watched them go.

"I am unsure if this is quite fine, my ally."

For once, Berserker spoke softly.

"Just let them be," said Lancer before his head sank quietly down the waters.

* * *

Not only did the Yggdmillenia castle provide a luxurious large bath, it also housed an adjoining sauna for those inclined for wanting to loosen their muscles and stress.

It was here that Chiron, Achilles, and Siegfried had found themselves seating uncomfortably in the midst of hot steam that hung in the air. The reason for their discomfort had nothing to do with a problem with the sauna itself. In fact, the room was spacious and well-built, offering a good amount of leg room and adequately heated steam in every corner.

The problem lay with their other fellow Servant who they had found occupying the room first.

"Man, it's really great that we all finally get to hang out together!"

"Yeah… great."

Achilles' cheeks reddened from the steam. Or not.

His face scrunched up as he tried to focus hard on the wooden ceiling.

"We should really do this often! Right, Chiron?"

"Perhaps not too often?" coughed Archer of Black, who sat at the edge of the room.

"It's pretty nice, though. Don't you agree, Saber?"

Saber of Black had trouble showing his back to others earlier, but now he felt as if he'd be able to do so now without problem. Given the current situation, he'd prefer it, actually.

"…A Servant has no need for such luxury," he said.

Instead of feeling relaxed, the three Servants looked to be focusing quite intently at other things as they all sat inside the sauna. There was only Servant there who appeared to be having any fun.

"Why are you guys acting so strange?"

The reason for that was none other than Astolfo, one of the Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne. It was he who had invited Lancer and Berserker there. It was also he that had driven them away from the sauna and into the baths.

Achilles glanced at the friendly Servant.

Astolfo had a slender frame, combined with a girlish face, long hair, and smooth delicate looking fair skin. Together with the steam somehow conveniently covering his chest and parts of his buttocks, it painted him in a way that was unbecoming of a man, but completely compliments that of a woman.

Glistening sweat sensually dripped down the visible parts of his skin, trailing down curves no man should ever have.

Achilles gulped.

"What's wrong?" Astolfo leaned over to him, looking at him curiously. "Your face is a little red."

"Nothing!" Achilles quickly proclaimed. "Nothing at all! I am perfectly fine!"

"Are you getting a little too hot?"

"Absolutely not! I'm cool as a cucumber!"

"Oh, I should probably put more steam then," said Astolfo.

As the paladin went down to put out more steam, Siegfried saw through the hazy mist a bouncing rear going down the steps. Siegfried immediately shut his eyes right there and then, quietly remembering every single vow he swore when he became a knight.

Steam hissed as Astolfo poured more water into the hot stones.

"Is that better?" he asked.

"More, if you'd please," said Chiron. "Until we can't see anything but mist should be fine."

Both Achilles and Siegfried hastily agreed as well.

"Really? You guy's sure like it hot. Servant or not, I feel like I'm going to be boiled knight soon. Well, I'm going to have to bail out since I've been here a while now. You guys have fun!"

The other Servants quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ah, that's cold!"

Everyone inadvertently glance to where Astolfo's voice came from. He had opened the door, letting the warm steam rush out while a little bit of the cold air rushed inside. Astolfo had turned his back away from the cold, facing the room. The steam was blown away revealing his now exposed lower half for all to see.

And with that, the night ended. With a lot of quiet contemplation till the next morn.

* * *

 **I'm kind of out of ideas in regards to what should come next. Not any of the major plot points which I do have already worked out, just the in-between stuff. Like I could probably move on to the next plot, but it just doesn't seem right without something to fill in before then. Right now i'm working on something like dinner with the Blue Faction with Mordred and all the others, but it's kind of difficult for me to move with that. Any suggestions or prompts would be appreciated. Also, it will probably help with me coming out with another chapter sooner.**

 **On another note, I like the major plot I had before, but I came to a decision to change into a particular direction now. It won't be as straight forward as my original plan. It actually makes it a bit more convoluted maybe? Hopefully, I'd be able to write it off well. I really like it. Well, since that's out of the way I can also discuss about my other plots for this story before. Oh, wait. Even discussing those will kind of be a spoiler, since discussing things that may have happened will certainly make people think of possibilities that won't happen anymore. Dang. I want to talk about it, but I guess I'll save it for when or if this story ever ends. Hope I make it.**

 **Also, shameless reminder because I am now jobless and underestimated my education costs, I have pa tre on tricknzwei!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:**

 **Now that I'm done with this portion, I can get back into moving the story ahead now. Maybe I can get more excitement in the next chapters? I know a lot of people like these slices of life portions. I mean, I do too, but I really like reading them more than writing them. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy.**

 **Also, I'd like to thank my first and currently only patron right now. I don't think I can mention his name since it's real life info, so I still just want to say thanks. Really happy to have one now. If anyone else wants to send their appreciation, you can find me at** **P a treon . com (slash) tricknzwei**

* * *

The night sky was bright with the full moon hanging high above the ground. The air was crisp and cold. Down below, the light of civilization dotted the landscape, pushing back the darkness of night.

"This place…?"

Ruler observed all of this from the edge of a high-rise. It was a beautiful city. A modern age wonder that could not be compared to any city of her time.

It was an unfamiliar place to her, but the sound of combat from nearby was something she was quite familiar with.

Rising up from the side of the building where she stood, two figures defied gravity, clashing as they made their way upwards towards her.

"I see," said Ruler. "I must be experiencing what Masters share with their Servants. A dream of their past experiences."

The two Servants reached the top.

"So it's Saber and Rider," said Ruler.

Though she thought highly of both Servants, she thought something seemed off with the two.

"They're both weaker than they should be," she said. "Both of them aren't at their full strength. Their Masters may not have had the capability to summon them at their peak. Strange that the two of them would share such a disadvantage."

The two continued their battle and Ruler continued to watch in silence. And as she had expected, it culminated in the two releasing each of their Noble Phantasms against one another.

The light of their Noble Phantasms pit against each other was blinding, yet Ruler watched without looking away. Saber proved the stronger of the two and her Excalibur engulfed Rider fully. As the bright golden light took over, Rider's mask shattered and turned to dust.

It was the first time Ruler had seen her without it. She was beautiful. Her eyes were beautiful.

But a small tear fell from them.

"Sakura…" A name she somehow heard her whisper.

Ruler could see her face up close. Somehow, she wished she could wipe away that tear and that last bit of regret before her death.

Her hand reached out, and gently caressed the Servant's soft cheeks.

"Uhm, Ruler?"

"Huh?"

The shining light was gone. And Ruler found herself sitting upright in her room.

"Are you still unwell?"

Leaning down beside her bed, Rider watched her uneasily through her mask, with Ruler's hand still holding on to her cheek.

"Ah!"

Ruler turned blushed from embarrassment. She had been half-awake it seemed and acted out her dream's desire. She realized now that it had been Rider's experience.

"It is good that you've woken," said Rider.

"I'm so sorry, Rider."

"Don't be," said her Servant. "It was… comforting."

Ruler pulled up her sheets, covering the now deeper shade of red on her face.

Rider smiled at her.

"If you are well enough, we should meet with the others."

* * *

The atmosphere in the dining room was tense. A lot more tense than last time Kairi had been there.

When you put together so many people with such strong personalities into one room, it was understandable. It's like a powder keg. One spark is all it takes to set it off, and then, boom. And he would be dead center of that boom.

Quite literally.

The necromancer knew the events that had led to his current predicament, recalled it one by one to be sure, and yet, he still had a hard time seeing how on earth someone like him had ended up getting a seat at a table together with some of the greatest heroes of history.

Normally, people would be ecstatic for such a chance. He, however, thought very differently.

"I feel like the food is going to spoil in this company."

Though the dead silence had been hard to bear, Kairi really wished his Servant had kept her mouth shut.

"Must be nice for a freeloader to be able to complain so easily like that."

"What was that?!" said Mordred.

Kairi groaned. He knew there would definitely would be some animosity between them, but he underestimated just how much trouble Mordred had caused with the Servants of the Blue Faction in such a short time.

She had practically fought or picked a fight with almost every single one of them. Hell, she had killed her father before and, early on, had been aiming to kill some of them—still planning on killing at least one, in fact. It's not even funny that the only other Red Servant there was also someone his Saber had threatened with death as well.

"Step outside and say that to me!"

And now she was picking a fight again with someone else.

Lancer of Blue egged her on.

"Oh, I didn't think you'd even want to step outside. It seems the little lady has at least some manners."

The two of heroes stood up at the same time and glared death at one another. Meanwhile Kairi tried to bury his head into the solid oak table. Now was not really the best time for this. Again.

The double doors to the dining hall creaked open. Ruler had appeared, with Rider and Saber by her side. She appeared still slightly weakened, though she seemed well enough to Kairi if she was able to stand alone.

Surprisingly, Mordred had returned to her seat without further hostility, slumping silently with her arms crossed. Well, likely her long time as a knight demanded that she behave in front of her king. Though, Kairi wisely decided not to mention that to her.

Ruler took her place at the head of the table.

"It appears I've worried you all greatly," she said. "I should have known better."

"Well, we all had a feeling that priest was going be bad news," said Lancer. "I was debating whether I should have skewered him back when we first met. Don't mind it so much."

That was true. Kairi had felt something off when he had met the priest. If Mordred hadn't warned him, he might've ended up as those other Masters, drugged up and stuck in a small room in the ground. Who knows what might have happened to him?

"I agree," he nodded. "What's done is done. We should be moving forward. With all that's happened, it's safe to say that the priest and Yggdmillenia have joined forces. Even by themselves they would have been a considerable force to begin with. We'll have to work together if we want to stand a chance at beating them."

At the very least, he wanted to make sure that they didn't see him and Mordred as enemies that needed to be dealt with.

"Yes." Rule agreed. "I was informed of your actions. Thank you for choosing to side with us." She gave a nod to Atalanta as well. "All of you."

Kairi was somewhat relieved. With the current state of the war, Ruler's Faction couldn't afford to turn away their cooperation. In turn, they'd have a greater chance of surviving this war, and perhaps, should the conditions prove favorable, still win the Holy Grail.

"Not like we had much of a choice," Kairi admitted. "Still, better than if we went at it alone. There's not much the Mage Association and the Church can do now that things have turned out the way it is. While I don't think it will help our situation much, they've agreed to back our side for the duration of the war. Or at least until the Yggdmillenia clan and the renegade priest are dealt with."

"Good to know." Archer of Blue materialized next to the table. "We're running low on funds. And I just used up the last of our food supplies. Maybe I'll be able to thoroughly stock up next time we visit the town again."

The double doors leading to the room opened wide, letting in a wide variety of mouthwatering aroma pervade inside. A roasted pheasant, twice-baked potatoes, grilled steaks, and a variety of other delectable dishes came flying through the doors. The dished stopped to a hover above them, then carefully landed onto the table before them, occupying every single space in it.

"I thought a feast to celebrate your recovery and to welcome our new allies would be in order," he said to Ruler's questioning gaze.

Kairi wouldn't say no to that. Not with the kind of spread in front of him. And he was already familiar with the kind of cuisine served here.

Plates and utensils came the same way as the food and placed themselves in front of those who were seated. Strangely, Archer had to snatch his from the air as they turned more ballistic than the others.

"Don't forget your knife."

Archer narrowly dodged and caught the utensil that had come flying in from behind his head.

Caster of Blue came through the doors with a smirk. "Oh my. You should be more alert, Archer. Magic can be quite tricky. You wouldn't want to get stabbed in the back like that."

"Thanks for helping carry everything," said Archer.

"Anything for our dear Master."

Kairi could hear the undercurrent of friction between the two. Well, at least his Servant wasn't the only one who had problems getting along. They were going to have to face a lot of troubles ahead.

Kairi decided it would be better to take things one at a time.

"Is that pork cutlets?"

And he would start with that plate.

* * *

The food, as usual, was absolutely wonderful. However, Medusa wasn't as focused on it as she'd normally be. Her mind was slightly preoccupied by the lingering warmth on her cheek.

Her covered gaze wandered over to her Master.

Ruler ate meekly, lightly blushing in her seat at Assassins attempts of flirting with her. Caster, of course, put a stop to that by magically pushing the rogue and his seat away and placing herself in between the two, giving him a frosty glare for good measure. Ruler appeared thankful, though that quickly changed when Caster began feeding her with the excuse that she was still weakened by the poison and curse before and must be cared for by someone competent. That someone being her, of course.

Ruler had lived a proud life till the very end. As Jeanne d'Arc she had roused a nation and led an army of soldiers at her back. No one can deny the strength, bravery, and leadership she had displayed.

Yet for all that, Medusa couldn't help but see similarities between her and Sakura. She was glad for this second chance.

She was also glad to be able to eat at such a delicious feast. Her sisters, while only thought of the best for her, had been overly protective. They had refused even the rarest occasions she'd been invited to a party somewhere.

Medusa spotted a delectable set of lamb rack at the center of the table. It would be hard for her to reach, but—

"Ha! I really gotta try this one!"

Lancer had taken the dish, using his Gáe Bolg of all things to pick it up and bring it to his side.

Medusa would glare at his offense for taking what was hers, but she knew her mask would make it futile effort. She still remembered her brief run in with him. With her status back then he could have easily defeated her, but he hadn't. Likely due to the orders of his Master.

Out of all the Servants here, he was someone she easily understood the most. A straightforward man that strikes at the heart of things. A simple but true hero.

Lancer's eye caught the sight of a deep fried pork chop. With a rattle, Medusa's chains snaked it away into her waiting hands.

"Hey!"

A little too simple, thought Medusa as she bit into the savory moist pork.

Then there was the man who made this exquisite meal. Archer quietly and respectfully ate his meal in a corner of the table, keeping to himself as he did often. Unlike Lancer, he was the hardest one to read. A man of many mysteries. He had proved to be very skilled.

She wondered how he made could be so crunchy yet so juicy and moist at the same time. Truly mysterious.

Though Ruler had put it behind them, the other Servants still didn't trust him very much. She had caught Caster whispering unintelligible things as she watched him from afar in the shadows. She wondered if the witch was trying to curse him, but she found no evidence or trace of such. Well, aside from that time she had magically altered the size of a pantry shelf lower so he'd smack his head on it in confusion. Oftentimes, she simply glared absolute death at him.

Actually, she just noticed that someone else in the room had been doing that as well.

Next to the necromancer, his blond Servant ate some particularly crunchy fried chicken as she glared at Archer. It almost seemed as if she was thinking it was his bones she was eating. Still, she had an impressive amount of empty plates besides her, so it was unlikely that she found the food unappetizing.

"Try to eat quietly, at least," her Master admonished her.

"Show some manners," sighed the only other Servant of Red next to them. "Really, are we sure you're not a Berserker?"

As Servants of a different faction, Medusa knew very little of them. She only knew that they now sided with them. For now. That and Caster hated Archer of Red enough that she had wanted her dead. She noticed the green-haired Archer momentarily glance at Caster. There was a cacophony of emotions in that moment that it was hard to distinguish any of it. But it was clear to Medusa's sealed eyes that hate was not part of it.

"Now come, Ruler, say 'aah,'" said Caster with a smile.

Oh, there's quite a bit of jealousy on her face now. A complicated relationship.

After some time, there were only a few plates left on the table. It seemed that being a Heroic Spirit also meant having a heroic appetite. As Servants, with the exception of Ruler's unusual circumstance, they didn't require nourishment such as food. It only raised their mana slightly and wasn't the most efficient way of doing so. Still, Medusa wouldn't be the first one to bring it up. She didn't want to admit it, but she quite enjoyed their meal times.

A lot of the others also enjoyed it more than they let on as well.

Saber always kept a dignified expression on her face as she ate, even as the emptied plates stacked up high next to her. Not that the other Servants ate any less than she did.

Medusa had thought she'd feel some complication with working with her. After all, she was the one that had killed her before. But she was surprisingly the easiest one for her to get along with. Quiet and well-mannered, for royalty, she was quite affable.

She'd also noticed that the Red Saber glancing at her from time to time. Very quick and short glances, but something that did not escape Medusa's keen eyes, again, hidden as they were. It was quite obvious that the two were related somehow. Blond, green eyes, similar build and stature—It was doubtful that she had been the only one to notice. Though, no one made mention of it for the time being.

Arthur Pendragon.

Or better known as King Arthur the legendary hero of Britain. Medusa knew the story, just like most other Servants knew of other Heroic Spirit's story. But just as stories go, truths and myths often intermix. Saber's gender was evidence enough of this.

King Arthur was said to have had parents and a sister, but it was hard to tell if that was true as well. Medusa wondered what their relation could be?

"You appear to be enjoying yourself."

Assassin had appeared next to her. He was the only Servant that had what you would call a modest appetite among the Servants, therefore had finished first among them.

"The food is satisfactory," she nodded in response.

"Yes, our Archer has quite the culinary skills," said Assassin. He leaned down and whispered, "But I was referring to your particular attention at watching your fellow Servants. Appreciating a curious view may be well to pass the time, though you best be careful should others begin to mind."

As he dematerialized and left, Medusa had felt slightly embarrassed that the man had caught her people watching. She had relied too much on her mask to hide her wandering eyes and was blind to the possibility that others could find out. It was a little rude of her to do such a thing.

She'll have to be more careful not to get caught next time.

* * *

Two days had passed since that ill-fated ambush. Since then, there had been no large actions between the factions. Ruler's health had recovered somewhat, but her faction dared not leave her side for the time being. And the Yggdmillenia clan and the Red faction remained quiet. They could not afford to be careless after they had lost one of their Servants.

That didn't mean that they made no moves behind the scenes.

A short flash appeared in the sky. In the next moment, the golem observer shattered and fell to the ground.

"That makes the fourth one today."

Atalanta exhaled. She'd been working hard on taking down every attempt at surveillance by the other side. Caster was able to setup a bounded field with a wide radius for detection, but she was unable to take care of these observers herself.

No. She actually just thought it a tedious job.

And so, she'd relegated it to Atalanta.

Atalanta didn't complain. She was actually glad for it. She wanted to be useful.

Medea had very little to say to her while she was in her presence, ignoring her as much as possible as if she wasn't there. It hurt her to have her friend treat her like that. Ruler tried to alleviate it somehow by joining them when they were together alone. But if she had wanted that, then she could have easily just went with the other Servants or her own fellow Red Servant.

She stayed with Medea, because that's what she wanted.

Atalanta deserved the animosity directed at her. And she would continue to make up for it until the end. This time, for sure, she would stay by Medea's side no matter what.

* * *

Kairi sighed after hanging up the phone.

"I knew I was going to regret taking this job."

He hadn't been looking forward to explaining the situation to the Mage Association. He'd sent a brief note to them of what had happened on their way to Ruler's place just in case they didn't make it, so he hadn't put much details into it. Only the basic gist of how the priest had betrayed them and joined up with Yggdmillenia. So, of course they'd expect him to explain all of it in full once they got a hold of him.

Still, he hadn't expected it would take a few hours.

He lit one of his smokes up as he exited the phone booth.

"Your superiors did not take the situation too well, I suppose?"

Assassin sat at a table nearby, peacefully drinking tea.

"Well enough," he answered. "Since I'm basically the only one they have left, they can't really do much about it. They're more concerned with going after the Church since it was their priest who'd caused all this commotion. Not sure if that will help us at all with this."

Kairi took the seat across from him. A cup of coffee was placed in front of him by a server.

"I took the liberty of ordering you one when you were close to finishing your call," said Assassin.

The necromancer nodded his thanks and breathed in the rich aroma. He really needed it.

"The other two aren't done yet?" he queried, looking around for them.

"They'll likely be here soon."

Archer and Lancer were both up picking up groceries. Kairi had tagged along with the Servants on their way to the town to make his report.

"It appears they've taken more leisure in getting supplies with our newly acquired funds."

Kairi saw the two Servants coming down the short cobbled path, both carrying various bags of groceries. He could hear Lancer bickering at Archer, no doubt complaining of his treatment as a pack mule. Archer seemed to have packed his fellow Servant to the max of a beast of burden, at least, the maximum that wouldn't be too out of place for a human.

Not that it should matter to a Servant. It probably didn't even weigh much at all to him.

"This doesn't seem fair however you look at it!"

Kairi could take a good guess at what he meant by that. Unlike Lancer, Archer carried only a small pack at his back and two smaller bags in his hands.

They'd stayed in town a lot longer than he'd thought. Hopefully, everything at the mansion was all well and good.

* * *

Not everything was, in fact, all well and good at the mansion.

Mordred, left alone by her Master, continually paced back and forth in one of the corridors. She'd been this way since Kairi had left earlier. He'd noticed that she hadn't had much opportunity to approach her father ever since they've arrived, with always some matter or excuse popping up that prevented them from directly speaking with one another.

She'd been using him as an excuse not to see her father—going on about being unable to leave his side. Though allies, it was best they remained wary of the other Servants. After all, seeing as how they've been betrayed before, it wasn't unthinkable for it to happen again.

Kairi had argued with her about it, though. Given the circumstances, it would be best to put a little bit of trust with their new companions.

With nothing really to do, Mordred had been unable to lie still in their room. She stood, she sat, she laid down in bed, but she couldn't keep her wandering mind calm. Mordred had never been the most patient knight among the round table.

The only difference she had made in that past hour was move outside her room.

"Dammit!"

Mordred slammed her fist on the wall.

"What the hell am I doing?!"

When she'd been first summoned to this war, she'd been confident. Maybe a little worried at first about the kind of Master she ended up with, but Kairi was a better Master than she could have hoped for. Well, aside from his choice of sleeping arrangements. Together, she was sure as hell that they would win the Great Holy Grail War.

She was ready for anything.

Anything except the sudden appearance of her father.

Morded gave a long tired sigh.

"I need to clear my head."

And what better way to do so than to feed her stomach. A knight's appetite was closely linked to their well-being, therefore, a sated knight is a happy knight.

And since Archer went off with her Master, that meant there would be no chance that she'd meet the sly fox in the kitchen.

That didn't mean there wouldn't be someone else there, though.

"Oh? It's nice to see you, Saber of Red."

The Master of the Blue Servants greeted her with a smile.

"I was just about to brew some tea," she said. "Would you care to join me?"

Ruler had wanted to do something by herself for the first time since she had recovered. Though she had understood the reason for it, Ruler had still found Caster's constant attention to be smothering.

It wasn't bad, the tea.

Mordred wasn't much of a tea drinker, but it did somewhat soothe her. Probably just needed a warm drink, she thought.

"Got any beer?"

Still, she preferred the taste of alcohol.

"Not at the moment," answered Ruler. "But I believe Lancer should be bringing some back when they return."

"Figures," she grumbled, though she still drank her tea.

"Would you care for some snacks instead?"

Well, she wouldn't say no to that.

Ruler had pulled out biscuits from the pantry. They varied in sizes, shapes, and flavors, but all of them matched very well with the tea.

"These are pretty good," said Mordred.

"I believe Archer made them this morning before he left."

And now they left a bitter after taste.

Mordred still continued to eat them, though. She didn't want to be wasteful. And she did so begrudgingly.

The same way she had every meal time.

 _Dammit! Why are these so good?!_

A few minutes ticked by quietly before Ruler spoke again.

"I've been meaning to speak with you." She smiled peaceably. "But I wasn't quiet sure how to. It is fortunate that we we're able to meet up like this. It may be a small blessing from God."

"Really?" Mordred said skeptically. "I'm not so sure I'd look at it the same way."

Mordred stood from her seat and materialized her armor. She walked over to Ruler, who continued to stay where she was.

"You show a lot of trust for someone that's gotten betrayed once already," she said. Mordred held her hand up and her sword appeared. "What's to say I won't do the same to you? You already know who I am, right? You know what they call me?"

"The Knight of Treachery."

Mordred grinned wickedly. "That's right. I can cut you down right down."

"That's true," admitted Ruler. "But you won't, will you?"

Mordred's grin turned to a frown. Looking down at Ruler, she could see into her clear amethyst eyes. There was not a single trace of doubt in her mind.

Mordred clicked her tongue in annoyance, putting away her blade and returning back to her seat in her casual clothing.

"You're no fun," said Mordred. She really couldn't handle her type. "So? What do you want?"

"Nothing. I simply wanted to talk, that is all."

"Talk about what?" Mordred narrowed her eyes at her.

"Is it wrong that I simply wanted to get to know you better?"

"That's it?"

Mordred sighed. Her Master wanted her to get along with the other Servants, but she really wasn't up for it.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but we weren't summoned here to make friends. I have better things to do than just waste my time here talking."

"Such as?"

Mordred was silent.

"N-None of your business!" she stammered.

"I see." Ruler seemed slightly dejected, though her smile returned quickly. "I suppose if you're too busy, then it can't be helped."

Well, at least she can take a hint, thought Mordred.

"I'll try asking Saber."

"Wait a second!"

Mordred stopped her as she tried to leave her seat.

"I, uh…. Maybe I can talk for just a little bit."

Mordred had thought she'd try and do something stupid, like trying to get her to mend her ways or something like that, but Ruler just asked simple questions. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just little things like what type of food she liked or places she had visited in her life.

In turn, Ruler told her about herself as well.

"I hope we can do this again some other time."

Mordred blinked blankly. She noticed the sun had gone considerably down outside through the windows. They had spoken for about two hours.

"Uh, yeah." Time had passed quickly. "Sure, I guess."

"I look forward to it."

Mordred had gone straight back to her room after they parted. The mattress felt soft underneath her back as she laid down on it.

"What the hell am I doing?" she once again asked herself.


End file.
